A new war reaches humanity
by reza0807
Summary: When a Covenant loyalist fleet is pursued by humanity and they find a Forerunner planet that is connected to the Vex, you can expect that the UNSC will gain an unlikely new foe. Watch as the Halo universe will be influenced by a lone guardian. New and old enemies will arrive to fight.(May contain content from other franchises)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there and welcome to this new story of mine which is a break from another one. The timeline will be after the events of Halo 4. Cortana is gone but might appear again. Some things might also be changed but just enjoy it.**

 _ **UNSC Infinity, orbit around Forerunner world Alpha-6**_

Captain Thomas Lasky wandered the hallways towards the bridge of the flagship _Infinity_. After an attack of the Covenant loyalist faction on a colony they had pursued the ships that they had managed to drove back. When they exited slipspace they were shocked to see yet another Forerunner planet. It was another shield world and again there was a Covenant fleet that moved in to engage. They were lucky that the fleet was relatively small and that they had multiple escorts with them.

When the battle was over they immediately sent out a signal to the UNSC about their discovery. After a few hours they had received additional reinforcements and a few platoons to deploy on the shield world. The message from command was clear. Drive the Covenant back and establish a base on the planet. Lasky got an additional message from ONI. Admiral Osman to be precise.

Apparently the fleet belonged to Jul Mdama. That meant that Halsey was also probably on the planet. She had given explicit orders to let a Spartan team deal with her that she would sent. Lasky was unfortunate to have been included in Osman's personal vendetta. When he had told Palmer she instantly volunteered to do the job. Lasky simply wanted to have nothing to do with it. But sadly as the head of ONI Osman had a lot of influence.

Lasky finally arrived at the bridge and saw all personnel doing their jobs to their fullest capacities. They were here to give their lives for humanity. But he knew better. To ONI they were expandable. They were tools to be used to gain more power and he hated it. All he could do was to make sure his crew survived.

"Status report?" He asked when he stood at Roland's terminal gazing at the planet. Roland appeared and saluted his captain.

"All systems operational sir. The rest of the fleet reported in as well saying that they're ready for deployment." The smart AI reported. Lasky took one more deep breath before nodding.

"Very well, the mission is a go. Deploy our troops to the surface." He commanded hoping they were not making a mistake. Messing with Forerunner artifacts was mostly bad news. They could find the Flood parasite that consumed them all. They could find Prometheans that loved to kill every human ins sight. Or worse, they would find another Didact.

"Aye, aye captain." Roland saluted before sending the message. With one final look at the planet he returned to the holographic table.

"Attention all crew members, the mission is a go. I repeat the mission is a go. All units report to your stations." Roland's voice went over the speakers all across the Infinity.

Pilots started their pelicans, marines went to their transports, ODSTs entered their drop pods and Spartans ran towards their own pelicans. Fireteam Majestic were no different as they ran to an awaiting transport. DeMarco made it first and called for his team to pick up the pace.

"Come on team, we're finally getting some action!" He yelled excitedly. The rest of his fireteam shared the enthusiasm and boarded the pelican.

"Alright we're good to go!" He informed the pilot who then took off and raced towards the planet.

"Hang on the ride will be jumpy! Expect Covenant bastards firing at us but missing because they suck Forerunner balls! Thank you for flying with air marine corps and have a good trip down there!" the pilot yelled in the speaker and finally entered the atmosphere.

They evaded plasma fire and the co-pilot saw multiple transports crashing down in fireballs as they were hit by the Covenant. The fireteam held on to their restraints and felt the aircraft shudder under the heavy fire of the Covenant.

"What do you think we'll find now Madsen?" Grant asked over the comm channel that Majestic used.

"Who knows, for all we know we'll find the secrets to the perfect pizza down there." Madsen joked getting a jab from DeMarco who was seated next to him.

"Shut it you two we're almost there!" He said as they felt the ship slowing down.

After two minutes they saw the ramp opening and jumped out of their seats. They landed on the grass but saw a Forerunner structure right in front of them. It was a temple that appeared to be built into a mountain. Drones were unable to scan because of interference thanks to whatever was inside that temple. You had to walk up stairs to reach the entrance. DeMarco called his team together and was satisfied that everyone was ready.

"Alright so remember, this is a possible location of doctor Halsey and Jul Mdama. We're going in and clear the Covenant in the front so the brass can send us backup." He summarized.

"I thought Spartans didn't need backup?" Thorne asked sarcastically.

"Zip it Thorne. You should know what could happen after Requiem." Hoya jabbed and effectively shut his fellow Spartan up.

"Thank you Hoya. Now as you know we could find Prometheans down there but I sure as hell don't want to see them. So if you see them kill them before I see them. Now let's go" DeMarco ordered.

They climbed the stairs slowly with their weapons ready for any threats. They were disturbed by the fact that they had not encountered any Covenant defenses on the way. They got to the top of the metal structure and saw a large gate which was closed. That's when they heard the mechanical screams. Prometheans materialized on platforms. They counted two knights and six soldiers. They simultaneously started firing on the Spartans depleting their shields but luckily they found cover behind some pillars.

"Majestic return fire!" DeMarco yelled shooting a soldier in the head with his battle rifle. The shots found their mark and the promethean soldier dissolved in data. The other soldier close to his one was taken out by Madsen's sniper rifle.

"The knights are advancing!" Grant yelled an sure enough the behemoths came to their position with their soldiers. Grant threw a grenade damaging the one on her side and killing another soldier but the knight responded with his scattershot. The blazing shots grazed her shoulder armor but she went back behind her pillar.

Thorne began spraying bullets from his assault rifle and managed to harm the knight even more. Another soldier succumbed to the shower of bullets. The knight roared and deployed a watcher that called upon crawlers. The small Prometheans appeared in a group of four and went after Thorne. He returned fire and killed two of them before the knight slammed him away when it had phased close to the unaware Spartan. Just before the knight wanted to impale the downed member of fireteam Majestic Madsen sniped the knight in the head. The large defense AI dissolved as well into data.

Grant fired her DMR at the watcher and looked in satisfaction as the hovering creature was downed. DeMarco ended the rest of the crawlers and only one knight and two soldiers remained. But then a Promethean soldier joined the fray with an incineration cannon. On each of two platforms close to the door turrets rose with a soldier on it. The turrets fired at the Spartans halting their advance. The turrets focused on Grant and DeMarco.

The knight roared and charged DeMarco who was pinned down. Thorne saw it and ran grabbed the scattershot of the fallen knight and ran towards the other one. He jumped and blasted it right in the leg a few times. The leg shattered and the knight fell down. Thanks to its momentum it didn't stop when it went over the platform and fell into the jungle.

"Thanks Thorne, Madsen and Hoya take down those turrets." DeMarco said trying to get the attention of the Prometheans. It worked and soon he had to fall back due to the sheer amount of firepower that was directed at him.

Hoya ran up to the soldier with the cannon and shot him apart with his shotgun. He grabbed the cannon and fired at the left turret shattering it to pieces with the soldier along with it. He aimed for the second one but a sniper round got the soldier who dissolved. The remaining two soldiers went for Hoya though. One grabbed him and the other aimed his suppressor rifle. DMR shots found their mark on the soldier as it fell to the ground and the other one was taken down by a battle rifle.

"You owe us one Hoya." Grant said as she reloaded her DMR.

"Sure, drinks are on me." He said back as he relaxed his abused shoulder that the Promethean had grabbed.

"Wait for the celebrations when we're done with this temple." Madsen said when he walked up to them having picked up a blotshot from one of the crawlers.

"Command this is fireteam majestic, we've cleared the entrance to the temple. You can send the reinforcements now." DeMarco said in the battle network. The reply was there in an instant.

"Understood Majestic, reinforcements will be there in five minutes. We've received word that Jul Mdama is indeed in the Forerunner building at your location. What kind of opposition?" Captain Lasky replied.

"So far heavy Promethean resistance sir. They came at us with heavy weaponry but we haven't seen any Covenant forces yet." DeMarco answered. A silence fell over the channel as the captain was in deep thought.

"Anything else Spartan?" Lasky then asked.

"Negative sir." Came DeMarco's response.

"Alright good luck Majestic, captain Lasky out." Lasky said with a heavy voice clearly bothered by the fact that the Covenant could be working with Prometheans again.

"Understood sir, Majestic out." DeMarco said and turned to his team members who were checking the area.

Later they heard the sound of two pelicans approaching. They came to the platform and turned to unload their passengers. On one of them a marine squad exited but the Spartans were surprised to see other Spartans exit the other one. They walked up to fireteam Majestic with the marines following them.

"Greetings fireteam Majestic, we're fireteam Osiris. I'm team leader Spartan Locke and these are Spartans Buck, Vale and Tanaka. This is sergeant Anderson who will be accompanying us with his squad." The Spartan called Locke introduced as he motioned to his own team members and the sergeant.

"I'm DeMarco, team leader of fireteam Majestic. These are Spartans Grant, Thorne, Hoya and Madsen. Pleased to meet you. So why did they sent more Spartans?" DeMarco introduced and then asked.

"Command wants to make sure Jul Mdama doesn't leave the facility alive. We're here to make sure they get what they want." Locke answered walking past DeMarco. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Buck who shrugged to say sorry.

"Did you find a way to open that door?" Vale asked as they approached the large metal door.

"Nope, couldn't find a switch or key." Hoya spoke up as he patted the door.

"We'll take care of that. Marines show the Spartans how we knock." Sergeant Anderson said and gave a nod to the door. Two marines sprinted to the door and began placing explosives. They were done in one minute and had placed enough explosives to blow up a phantom.

"We're done sarge!" One of the marines yelled as everyone took cover.

"Let it rip!" The sergeant yelled and in that instant the door was engulfed in a fiery explosion. The entire platform shook and smoke poured every direction. When the UNSC soldiers looked up they saw a hole big enough to let a warthog through.

"Let's move on." Locke said and entered the structure followed by the rest of the Spartans and marines.

The temple was eerie quiet. They had to go through a doorway where some sort of barrier was. They walked right through it though. No Promethean nor any Covenant in sight. They passed various bridges and expected the bridges to collapse but they held strong like everything the Forerunners had build. They came across a big room and then they found the Covenant, dead. Bodies of elites, jackals, grunts and even hunters were littered all around the room. Scorch marks were on the walls and the ground. They even found an elite ultra with his head bashed into his body.

"Who or what did this?" A terrified marine asked. Everyone wanted to know what could have killed these Covenant soldiers.

"Were it the Prometheans?" Buck asked as he prodded an elite with his boot to see if he was alive.

"We would have seen their weapons lying around but as I see it those Prometheans at the entrance were not helping the Covenant." Locke said.

"What makes you think that?" DeMarco asked.

"You told me they showed up when you wanted to cross the platform. We have intel that the Prometheans are attacking everyone including the Covenant. It's safe to think that the Covenant entered through another entrance." Locke explained as he gestured towards the various halls that ended in the room.

"I think I found something!" A marine yelled and showed a console. Vale looked it over and activated it. A door opened showing a wounded elite in the hallway that they now found. Before they could go through there seemed to be an energy shield in front of the door. Thorne touched it and was surprised to see his hand go through it. They all went through and walked up to the dying elite.

"Try asking what happened." Locke ordered. Vale spoke with the elite in his language and when she was done the elite succumbed to his wounds.

"What did you found out?" DeMarco asked her.

"They were ambushed by strange looking robots. They possessed the ability of the Prometheans to phase around but they had red eyes. And they didn't look Forerunner according to what he said." She reported disturbed. If this was a new enemy they were in for surprises.

"This is getting weird." Throne deadpanned.

"We're moving on." Locke commanded and soon they were back on track.

The hallway turned out to be a tunnel that went on for ages according to a marine who complained. Sometimes they turned to the right and then to the left. They were all on edge as they heard screams echoing through the tunnel. The marines were talking about monsters sealed away but their sergeant shut them up. But the idea was logical to the Spartans. It would explain the Prometheans that guarded the door.

"I'm seeing something on my radar." Tanaka said after a while. All other Spartans acknowledged as well. A marine with a long range scanner walked up to the front of the group and began searching.

"Sir, I'm detecting Covenant signs. A whole group and then a bunch of unknown contacts." The private reported. The sergeant frowned at the mention of unknown contacts.

"Let's find out then." DeMarco said and they were now more alert as the tunnel seemed to come to an end.

What they saw next took their breath away. It was an enormous cave with a strange structure centered in it. It was blocky and looked like stone but it was made out of metal. It did not look like the usual Forerunner structure. Around it were smaller buildings and there appeared to be circle-like metal constructions that looked like doors. On the central structure a large statue stood proudly.

"Vale, what are we looking at?" Buck asked in awe.

"No idea but one thing is for sure. That is not Forerunner. The materials used are different and so is the architecture." She replied.

"Look at that statue. Do you guys think it could be some type of god or something like that?" Hoya said as he pointed at the large structure.

"If we get inside we might find out." DeMarco proposed. It was then that they heard a loud bang.

Further ahead was an entrance where Covenant seemed to pour out. The thought that it was a team to retaliate was scratched once they saw the ruby light bolts that followed them. Several grunts fell when they were hit. A fast orange bolt struck an elite minor in the chest and killed him instantly. Once the Covenant was out the hail of bolts died out. The marines were anxious thanks to the unseen contacts that managed to make the Covenant flee. The Spartans were not so anxious but even they were worried.

The Covenant tried to reorganize themselves but then a jackal sniper spotted the humans. The elite ultra roared a battle cry and soon they found themselves under fire by the Spartans that retaliated out of reflex. The combined firepower of the Spartans easily matched that of the vast amount of Covenant troops that were exhausted.

The jackal snipers managed to take down two marines that were too much in the open. Madsen focused on them with his own sniper. Hoya and Buck led the forward charge along with a couple of marines. They began engaging the Covenant in close combat while being covered by the others. A lucky grunt tossed a plasma grenade that took two marines out of commission. Their Sergeant took the grunt down with his knife but was too late to fall back when an elite came out of nowhere and pierced Anderson in the chest with his energy sword. The marines yelled in unison for their leader but in a last effort he planted the knife in his trembling hand into the head of the elite. They both slumped to the ground.

"Sarge is down!" A private yelled over the firefight. Buck ran to the sergeant but all he found was a lifeless body clutching a military knife. He quickly took the man's dog tags before he ran over a rock towards the Covenant.

He threw a grenade right into a group of shielded jackals and slammed an elite down. When he pulled the trigger killing the elite the grenade went off and jackals flew through the air. Another elite swung his sword over Buck as he ducked. The former ODST kicked the elite away and unloaded another shotgun shell right into the chest of the alien. The grunts shot at him with needlers and plasma pistols but they were reflected by his shield. He was going to deal with them but suddenly Hoya and Thorne came in and eliminated the grunts with ease. They all nodded to each other and advanced further.

Locke pulled out two magnums and began harassing the Covenant ranks as he came close to the ultra. Two elites blocked his way and unleashed a hail of plasma bullets with their storm rifles. Locke ran up a boulder and jumped in the air. As he soared over them he placed bullets in their heads with deadly precision as their shields were depleted. He landed and did the limbo as the ultra swung his sword grazing Locke's shields that flickered at the miniscule contact. The Spartan rolled away and grabbed the storm rifle of a fallen elite. He began spraying plasma at the ultra that charged at him. The shields died out but the ultra knocked the weapon away and brought the sword down. Locke dodged and punched the elite in the mandibles. The elite staggered for a moment and that was all Locke needed to place a bullet between his eyes with a magnum pistol. The ultra fell to the floor and with him the Covenant troops their resolve.

Grant was the one who killed the last elite before the battlefield became quiet. The marines scurried around gathering their dead. Locke went back to DeMarco who was talking to his squad.

"Ok Grant and Madsen, you two will stay behind with the marines and keep the area safe. The rest of us will enter the building along with Osiris." He ordered and got acknowledged by his team members.

"I will leave Tanaka to help them. The rest of us will be enough to investigate the construction." Locke proposed. The marines were thankful and so was DeMarco.

"Alright that will do. Let's hope that whatever got those Covenant won't get us." The leader of fireteam Majestic said before the small group of Spartans entered the blocky building.

It was quiet and they saw no one except for the dead elites and grunts that littered the path they took. Some of the corpses were slouched against the walls with prints of them on the wall were they sat. Whatever had killed them had knocked them so hard against the wall that left those prints. This did not sit well with the Spartans.

Vale documented as much as she could of the strange building that did not resemble Forerunner structure. It looked definitely older perhaps even older than the Forerunners themselves as she had put it herself when they were in the small hallway. She had picked up a piece of rubble to take back for study. They came to a circular door that appeared to be locked.

"Well does anyone have an alien key or do we knock and ask nicely to open up?" Buck remarked sarcastically as they found no way to open it.

"Maybe that works." Thorne said and touched the door. The door began to hum and glow until it opened up. Thorne looked back and saw the other Spartans staring at him.

"My idea." Buck muttered as they entered the large room.

In the center of the room was a circular altar. Atop of it a metal orb of Forerunner design floated covered in what seemed to be a shield. All around the room were Covenant troops watching with great interest as no else than Jul Mdama was pacing around it. The greatest shock for the Spartans was that doctor Catherine Halsey was down here as well. She appeared to be typing at a holographic screen generated by the Forerunner machinery around the orb.

"What the hell is the doctor doing here!?" DeMarco whispered furiously.

"She was taken by Mdama remember? She's forced to work with them." Throne whispered back.

"From what I've heard she betrayed us and joined Mdama." Vale told them. Locke held a hand up to silence them. Thanks to their enhanced hearing they could hear what they were saying.

"Why is it taking so long doctor!? You told me you could unlock the secrets of the holy orb, but so far I lost my men to the beings that dwell this temple!" Jul shouted angrily. He had lost many forces on this endeavor and earlier some of his forces were cut off and pushed out of the temple. To top it off a messenger had told him the UNSC had arrived and began deploying their troops and demons.

"I am doing the best I can Jul. If I had more time and resources I could do better but that is unfortunately not our situation. I am close to unlocking whatever this is. I told you that this is a Forerunner excavation site. The shield that we passed kept the things that are here inside and is apparently connected to this orb." Halsey calmly replied.

"So it could be a sort of shield generator then. Imagine if we used it. My men could pass but the demons would be shut out." Jul said more to himself than the doctor.

"So she is helping them." Locke said. The mission he got seemed to be a go now.

"We don't know for sure." Thorne insisted.

"I agree with the kid Locke. Besides she is to be taken back to the UNSC." Buck said. He didn't like the doctor and was kind of neutral about her but she did form the Spartan project so if it wasn't for her none of them would be here. Besides, he never trusted the ONI spooks and their words.

"Either way we're going to crash this little party." DeMarco said and readied his rifle.

The other Spartans agreed and they prepared to ambush them. But then the orb began to hum. Everyone in the room looked at the orb that began to move. It began to disassemble itself and slowly the metal began to disintegrate. In the center a white crystal shined brightly effectively blinding everyone including the Spartans even when their visors polarized. As soon as the flash came the crystal shattered in small particles that floated around the room and disappeared as well. The room was silent until Jul roared.

"What have you done doctor! The holy artefact has been destroyed!" He roared and soon all the other Covenant roared as well and became hostile towards her.

"Maybe she is working with them against her will after all." Hoya whispered as they observed the pissed off Covenant species.

"Wait I simply deactivated it. It wasn't a shield generator." Halsey said alarmed and then slowly turned around to look at the altar as it disintegrated along with the rest of the Forerunner machinery. They all cautiously took a step back. A hole where the alter stood began to slowly open. "It was a lock." She whispered but the dead silent room enhanced that whisper so everyone heard it.

Suddenly a beam of blue light shot out of the fully opened hole. It went through the ceiling and coursed through the building. The whole construction began to shake and so did the cave. The light made its way straight to the statue and its one eye began to glow a fiery crimson red. From the pedestal three rays of blue light hit the three smaller buildings around the main construct. The marines and Spartans outside watched in awe as the light touched the blocky constructions began to slowly fade away.

Back inside a screech echoed throughout the shaking room. The Spartans were shocked to see one-eyed machines pop into existence and saw them opening fire on the Covenant. Red bolts struck the elites and killed them when their shields died out. Doctor Halsey ran up to the stairs that lead towards the Spartans. When she got there she quickly addressed the Spartans.

"Spartans, you must hurry! You need to take out those machines and the Covenant before the temple collapses." She said urgently.

"How did you know we were here?" DeMarco asked over the firefight that occurred below.

"I saw you on a security footage and tried to delay Jul. Now hurry before it is too late." She said less calmly now.

"Alright doctor, Spartans engage hostiles." Locke ordered.

The Spartans all simultaneously tossed a grenade which caused havoc to the forces below. Some grunts were instantly gunned down by the machines that seemed to phase around the room. Hoya and Buck once again teamed up and prioritized the machines as their shotguns seemed to be effective at harming the machines. Buck shot one where a white spot was and was surprised to see white fluid splatter around. With the fluid gone the machine slumped to the ground.

It occurred to them that when the machines were defeated they seemed to disintegrate like Prometheans. Locke shot down one of Mdama's guards but was too late as he fled the scene with the rest of the Covenant. Locke also saw the pillar of light pulsing and the machines disappearing as they crouched.

"Tanaka, Jul Mdama is escaping. Can you take him out?" He asked over their comm channel. All he heard was white noise and static.

"Don't waste your time on that Spartan. The structure blocks communication." Halsey said as he joined up with them. Thorne remained at her side to protect but also guard her.

"Shouldn't we go as well?" Buck asked worried about their wellbeing.

At that moment the light pillar intensified. They all looked back to it to see a shadow of a figure in it. They all watched in awe as the figure seemed to come closer and closer until something fell out of it. They all saw the light dying out but the temple still shook immensely. They had to get out fast. But they still had attention for what had fallen out of the light. Halsey gasped and so did some of the others.

It was a human looking robot. It was black with blue lines running on the arms and legs. They also saw the antennas where the ears where supposed to be. The robot was definitely valuable so at the order of Halsey they grabbed it and fled the temple, the cave, the Forerunner building and right to the awaiting pelicans. They all boarded them including the Spartans, the marines, the fallen, doctor Halsey and the mysterious robot. They quickly flew away to the Infinity and before the ramp closed the saw the whole mountain disappear in a ball of light leaving a large crater.

They were all amazed at the spectacle and turned to their prize. This was definitely a big find for the UNSC.

…..

 _ **Somewhere in a different dimension**_

Black was all that the guardian could see. His systems were just coming online and after a short system check he found out that his optics were still activating. Subsystems were already beginning to scan his servos. Sound came back online and he could barely hear what someone was saying. The sound receptors were recalibrating and in the meantime he got 25 percent of his vision back. Voice box was slightly damaged but worked almost perfectly again.

"Tak…t..asy..You….bee.. …while." The barely audible voice said that sounded a lot like his Ghost. His optics rebooted and slowly but steady he could see the black-shelled form of his Ghost.

"What happened?" The exo asked with a slightly broken voice.

"I'm not sure how to explain. What do you remember?" Ghost asked him carefully and concerned. He began accessing his memory banks. Meanwhile his servos were fully operational again and he sat up.

"I remember a vault. It was made out of glass or something. There were trials and machines. There were four, no five others. We fought against the machines and went deep into this vault. Something about a well and a maze, perhaps a labyrinth? Then there was something like a throne room. And there was this big blue robot that could control time. His name was…" The exo summarized and trailed of as he tried to recall the events that happened before his abrupt shutdown.

"Atheon; that is his name. We were in the vault of glass fighting the Vex. You killed Atheon but then something happened that he would like to explain." Ghost answered for him and turned to look over the confused guardian.

The exo turned around and his optics widened at the sight of the huge Vex called Atheon. He was standing proudly behind him. Then he got more aware of his surroundings. It looked like a humungous Vex throne room with Precursor Vex standing at the walls as guards. He was close to an edge and he could see a lot of red eyes that didn't move down there in the darkness.

" **You have awoken I see."** Atheon rumbled in a deep mechanical voice.

"How are you here? I'm pretty sure I killed you." The exo said astonished. It then occurred to him that he was without armor and weapons.

" **You did kill me in a way. As for your armor and weapons you had on you they were transported back to your Ghost. Now before you ask questions I will explain our, unfortunate situation."** Atheon replied.

"Fine, go on then." The exo said reluctantly knowing he was at the mercy of the Vex lord.

" **When you finally managed to kill me I had to ensure my survival. The Vex network needed a time's conflux so I decided that the one who defeated me would be my successor. We are now one and with it comes the ability to command legions of Vex units. A downside is that we are no longer able to remain in your universe. We are in a different one that the Vex have scouted already but yours was more important since your traveler had fled there."** Atheon explained with that deep booming voice he had.

"Wait I'm stuck here in this tomb with you?" The mortified exo asked.

" **No, this is your private dimension like the vault of glass was mine. It is hidden within the new dimension where we have arrived. Only here you will be able to properly die."** Atheon answered.

"He speaks the truth I'm afraid." Ghost said sadly. They could no longer go home.

"Great, this is just great." The exo said sarcastically.

" **If it pleases you, you have ascended to a whole new level because of me. Not only are you the supreme mind of these Vex units, your light has become greater now it is mingled with my darkness."** Atheon compromised.

"What?" Came the guardian's simple reply.

"You're now a more advanced AI and so am I. You can now also use full exotic armor and weapons. Some have been supplied by Atheon. He gathered them from the dead guardians that were lost in time." Ghost clarified.

"That's one good thing I suppose." The exo said as he had slightly calmed down.

" **One more thing though. While you might not know, this dimension is where your race, 'exos', comes from. As I said we once scouted this dimension and came in contact with an advanced civilization. They hacked into one of our confluxes so we retaliated. They had this special robotic form with an advanced AI investigate us. When we pulled back the robot came with us and was lost in time. It was later found by the Traveler and from it he created thousands of these robots. Since then the exo was born."** Atheon carefully explained and was met by the amazed optics of Ghost and the exo that was him now.

"Amazing, so I'm actually home?" The exo stammered.

" **Yes, from what I know this AI was actually one of those people but his mind was transferred in the robotic body. It is safe to tell that you're actually one of them in mind only more advanced."** The lord of time mused.

The exo was thrilled to find out about his race. He recomposed himself and focused on the matters at hand. "How do I get out of here?" He then asked as he referred to place around him.

"You're already gone actually. This is more like mind link. We have been found by unknown lifeforms but I think they are humans. We don't know if they're friendly though." Ghost said sounding intrigued and concerned.

"So all I have to do is wake up? Wait a second my systems tell me I'm in standby-mode."

"Yes you are now wake up guardian. We'll figure out what to do once we're sure you're safe." Ghost said.

" **Before you go, will you tell me your name guardian?"** The tall Vex mind asked.

"Call me Soundwave." The titan guardian said before once again his optics powered down.

….

 _ **UNSC Infinity**_

In a conference room Lasky watched nervously the faces of the assembled group. Halsey stood in the middle while fireteams Majestic and Osiris stood against the walls acting as guards. Palmer was there too and she glared daggers at the doctor who had only one arm left thanks to her. Across video feeds the faces of lord Hood, admiral Osman and the rest of command were morphed into a frown as they regarded the doctor.

"So if I understand correctly, you were working with Jul Mdama because you had no choice?" Hood asked her while watching her with his calculating gaze.

"Yes, otherwise he would have eliminated me. Though I did sabotage him many times and gave him false trails. I loathed having to work with him but after all I was not exactly welcome here." Halsey told him as her gaze slowly drifted to Osman who frowned deeply at her.

"Well you are still under arrest for your crimes doctor." Osman interjected with a sneer. Halsey's only hand clenched slightly but as calculating she was she kept silent.

"Yes but if it were not for her the Spartans would never have been created and would have never saved humanity." A young admiral said as he tried to ease tensions but Osman wasn't having anything of it.

"Before this becomes a heated discussion I propose that she is placed under surveillance and resumes her work. What can you tell us about this planet doctor." Lord Hood interrupted and turned his gaze back to doctor Halsey who looked thankful.

"The name of this planet is Archeologis. It was a research site of the Forerunners where they studied ancient structures from before their own civilization." She explained as she tapped on her datapad. A holo displayer showed the strange buildings they had seen down in the mountain cave.

"Older than the Forerunners themselves?" Hood asked interested as did everyone else.

"Yes, they tried to find out who had built them. Thanks to Jul Mdama I was able to access a terminal before going to the one of the research sites. They once found this 'conflux' that appeared to be a link to a network that ran deep in the buildings. They found out that the species who were responsible for the constructions were called the Vex." Halsey further explained and showed an image of one of the robots they had encountered at the site.

"Remarkable, who built these machines doctor?" Lasky asked as he took in every detail of the machine with its menacing looking eye.

"That is what bothers me the most. As advanced as the Forerunners were they were only able to scratch the surface concerning the knowledge of the Vex. They believed that the Vex were actually a species themselves." Halsey supplied politely. The room fell in a silence at her words.

"You mean these robots are independent?" Hood asked as he broke the silence.

"Yes though according to one of the researchers they are very alike-minded." Halsey said cryptically.

"How much?" Osman asked now silently studying the information they received. With a heavy sigh Halsey answered.

"The Vex are divided in divisions and in each of them they all have the same mind. You could compare them to the Flood actually. There are minds that control the minions like a gravemind." Halsey announced causing the whole room to be stunned even the ones light years away.

"How is that possible?" Hood asked.

"I'm afraid that is as much as the Forerunners could find out on that topic. The other information they found out was that the Vex are able to travel through time and space." The doctor informed them.

"These Vex seemed to be quite the species then. Did the Forerunners find out how this worked?" Osman asked eager to know if perhaps they could gain this technology. Lord Hood seemed to have noticed this as he subtly frowned at her.

"No, before they could learn more they had accidentally awoken the Vex that slumbered in the buildings. They slaughtered the research teams and to prevent them from spreading, the Forerunners created special orbs to lock the Vex away. When the Spartans rescued me I was forced by Mdama to unlock one of these orbs. The result was to awaken the Vex even more and we also recovered a strange human looking robot. After we fled the site the mountain collapsed though if my theory is correct the Vex had transported their buildings along with the mountain through a time-space portal to who knows where." Halsey further announced and fell silent as she was done with her debriefing.

"Doctor, what has happened to this robot?" Osman asked intrigued. Halsey tapped on her data pad again and a video feed appeared on the display. Everyone looked amazed at the large robot that was placed on a table with its arms and legs restrained.

"We have not researched our find yet. To take precautions we restrained it as you can see." She replied while watching the robot as well.

"Do you think we could hack it? Download its database and perhaps reprogram him to serve the UNSC?" Osman further asked.

"I could try but from observation alone I can see that it is very important. It is likely that it has no simple programming but an AI to function." Halsey replied not taking her eyes away from the fascinating technology.

"I propose that we research this prize and look on Archeologis for more of these finds." Admiral Osman then said. Various people from command agreed.

"Very well then, captain Lasky I entrust you with this operation. I give you the authority to command everything at disposal. The Arbiter and blue team are on their way as well to help you and hunt down Jul Mdama." Lord Hood said with finality.

"And I will assign fireteam Osiris as well to the Infinity to help you captain." Osman added.

"Understood sir." Lasky said and saluted before the transmission was cut.

"Permission to go the lab and perform research on the robot along with doctor Glassman?" Halsey asked him politely.

"Permission granted, fireteam Osiris will escort you and guard you while you work. I don't want to have that robot kill the crew if it can." Lasky said with a nod.

"Very well." Came her only reply.

"Understood sir, let's go team." Locke said and followed the doctor with his team.

"If anyone needs I'll be in my quarters." The captain said before he strode out of the room.

…..

"This is amazing! Look at the design alone. Who knows what kind of secrets we will find within it." Doctor Glassman said excited to no end. He paced around the table looking at the recovered robot with wide eyes. He was absolutely thrilled to study the recovered prize from the Forerunner planet that they currently orbited.

"Yes I know Glassman but could you please be more quiet? We don't want accidents to happen." Halsey replied slightly annoyed by the man's excitement. Though to be honest she was thrilled as well to be finally back in a human lab and to research humanity's first advanced robot prize.

"Of course doctor Halsey, I apologize. It's just every scientist's dream to do this." The man said more calmly now. He went to her and helped to attach the cables on the robot's head. Vale was running a last check on the terminal before they would try to enter the robot's mind. She had already handed over the rubble she had found to the scientists. Tanaka was simply observing as was Locke but Buck seemed to be nervous.

"Is it really smart to poke around in an alien robot?" He asked nervously.

"While there might be complications I'm sure that we would be able to contain the threat. If it managed to kill all of us the lab would still go in a complete lockdown so it won't escape." Halsey nonchalantly replied as if it was nothing.

"Yeah, I'm not so sure about the us dying part." He grumbled and curled his gloved hands around his shotgun. Tanaka chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"Relax Buck, it's just a robot against four Spartans. What could go wrong?" Tanaka asked amused.

"Watch out Tanaka, don't jinx us like that." Buck warned.

"There, all set! What about the system Vale?" Glassman asked as they had finally finished with attaching the cables.

"Systems are all set as well doctor." She replied and let Halsey behind the controls.

"Ok, I'm beginning the process now." She said and pressed the button that would influence future events without a doubt.

The machinery began to lowly hum as power began to flow through the cables. The robot jolted for a second causing all Spartans to aim their weapons at the robot. They were relieved to see it didn't move any further. Then finally data began to appear on the screen as Glassman and Halsey analyzed what they saw. Streams of data scrolled over the screen at a fast rate. The codes that were in it seemed to be changing constantly.

"Fascinating, this coding is extraordinary. Do you see their influence as well doctor Halsey?" Glassman said quietly. His glasses reflected the data and added to the stereotypical image of a scientist. Halsey hummed at his comment.

"Yes, there are Forerunner coding in it but it appears that more was added which is not of Forerunner origin. They are so complex even I do not fully understand them. This AI seems to be on a whole other level. It has even more potential than Cortana." She softly muttered.

"Doctors something is happening!" Vale yelled as the screens began to register activity within the codes. They changed even faster and the computer seemed to be shortening out. Sparks erupted from the robot and coursed through the cables. The screen was changed into a bunch of wild pixels before it blew a fuse.

Before they could do something the optics of the robot activated and shined a bright blue. It began to scream a high pitched noise that made everyone grasp at their ears. Even with the helmets on the Spartans clenched their teeth and hands went to the ears even while they were covered and fell on their knees while they doctors were sprawled on the floor. With immense strength the robot tore of the restraints and stood to his full height. The Spartans and doctors rose as well and aimed the weapons at it. They knew it was big but now with its full height it was easily as tall and big as a Spartan II. The bright blue optics looked around the room scanning what was going on. The whole time it had a hand clutched at its head.

….

" _What the hell is going on Ghost! My head is killing me!"_ Soundwave shouted at Ghost in their linked minds. The agony that he was having was immense. To the contrary what many believed exos had pain receptors and special software that allowed them to _feel_. And at the moment he felt as an army of Hive was shrieking in his audio receptor at close range.

" _These humans messed around in your programming. They were doing something but it made your pain receptors go wild. I think you just woke up with the worst hangover one could have."_ Ghost replied and shut the pain off. No words described how grateful he was now the pain was gone. Entering an AI and messing with their programming while it was active, this included standby-mode, was equal to mind-rape. The pain that the AI would endure was excruciating and horrifying.

Now that he was mostly operational again he could observe his situation. He was in some sort of lab with armored humans aiming their weapons at him. From a quick scan he concluded that one carried a SMG, another a shotgun and the other two had what appeared to be an automatic rifle and the other a pulse rifle. There were two other humans. One with glasses and an old lady with one arm. He did another scan and found a terminal close to their position. He made up a strategy as fast as possible. He did this all in less than a second thanks to the fact that he was a supreme AI and a supreme Vex collective mind.

" _Ghost equip me with Helm of Saint-14, ACD/0 Feedback Fence, The Armamentarium and Mk. 44 Stand Asides. Don't forget the Old Guard shader. As primary weapon Red Death, secondary Invective and as heavy Super Good Advice. After that access that terminal and find out everything you can about where we are and who we are dealing with. I want history, culture, warfare, social interactions; everything."_ Soundwave told him again at light speed. Ghost hummed in approval and did this in a flash of light.

For the Spartans and the doctors the robot had suddenly come online and fled the table. In only a second it had suddenly armor on and a red weapon in his hands. The helmet had a purple line running over where the face was and it looked like the design was like the ancient romans their helmets. The chest armor was loaded with bullets, grenades and other stuff. The arms had strange pointy pieces of metal on them with an orange line running at the edges. The leg armor had patterns running over the plating. With the added mass the alien robot looked even more intimidating.

The four Spartans slowly surrounded the active robot that was now armored and armed. What stunned them was that it got all of that with just a flash. Most of it looked out of place but there was no doubt that whatever it was, it was very advanced.

Suddenly a small cylinder fell from the robot's belt. When their eyes landed on it they saw it looked like a grenade. Before they could act it went off and engulfed the room in a bright light and excruciating sound. Soundwave used the distraction to grab the two humans in the lab coats and ran for the door. He had used arc energy to stun the two humans for the time being and hauled them over his shoulders. He grinned as the armored humans came after him and didn't notice Ghost entering the system of whatever it was where they are the moment. With some luck they would successfully escape.

"Captain Lasky the robot is on the run with doctors Halsey and Glassman! We need backup at once! It's running towards hangar 20 and is armored and armed!" Locke shouted in the comm of his suit.

On the bridge Lasky stood with an alarmed pose as he just received the message. An alien robot running lose on his ship with his scientists being kidnapped. He had a bad déjà vu at the moment and was not going to hope that it would all end well like on Requiem. He dashed to the intercom and activated it with great haste.

"All hands to combat! We have an armored intruder running around with the doctors to hangar 20. I want all combat forces in the area to detain the intruder. If it points a gun at you shoot first. This is not a drill. Refrain from attacking if you could hurt the doctors. Get a move on it people!" Lasky yelled in the speaker so the entire ship heard him.

"Sir, I have alerted commander Palmer who is currently at the hangar with a couple of other Spartans. They will ambush the robot when it gets there." Roland said as he appeared on the holographic table. The AI had forsaken snarky comments and humor at the moment and stood in a stance that showed how serious he was.

"Good, what's the ETA of the Arbiter and blue team?" Lasky asked while crew members ran around on the bridge. They began trying to organize the capture and rescue mission.

"Only half an hour away. Do you think it will defeat our Spartans sir?" Roland replied uncertain. Lasky turned to look at the display of the robot running through a hallway while carrying Glassman and Halsey. It looked certainly intimidating and as if it knew that he was watching it pulled out a red weapon and aimed at the camera. The small spikes close to the barrel and the sharp knife was all he saw before the camera was shot to pieces.

"I don't know Roland but I want to be sure that we can contain it." He answered with a heavy heart.

Meanwhile Soundwave was running around in the hope of getting out of wherever they were. He began to growl as he was met again by a closed door. How he hated closed doors. Why did they have to make this the hard way. They would new doors after he was done.

"Ghost tell me you have found something by now." He said while channeling arc energy through his right leg as he kicked the door down.

"I'm still assimilating as much info as I can but there are other AI in here that might find me. I will upload a map to your HUD now. We're on a ship now which is orbiting around the planet where they found us. In this dimension we're currently in the hands of the UNSC. Some human military I believe. Ah, I found something interesting here." Ghost said while working as fast as he could. The small light source could be very witty at times like this.

"Well, spill it." Soundwave said impatiently. His radar went red so his pursuers were rather close. Too close to his liking so he kicked some crates down that were in his way to hopefully block them even if it was for a second.

"Yes so it is United Nations Space Command. They are the military branch of the UEG which stands for United Earth Government. I'll spare you most of their history and just upload it later but they were at war with a religious alien group called the Covenant a couple of years ago. Oh and just so you know it the ones who are following you are called Spartans. They are the UNSC super soldiers. The fourth generation, no wait third generation. Who named this, it's confusing." Ghost further explained. Soundwave groaned at the mention of super soldiers. He wakes up in a different dimension and what comes after him, super soldiers. He was immediately preferring fallen over them. At least the fallen didn't rape him.

"Great, why am I here anyways?" He asked passing a startled human who fell on the ground as passed by. The human shouted at him to stop but Soundwave ignored the human.

"Well, they are now searching for Forerunner artifacts and worlds. They found you on the planet and they think you're an artifact. They are actually correct since you were created by the Forerunners. Hell you are a Forerunner. Do I need to mention they believe they basically 'reclaimed' you?" Ghost quipped with a tinge of humor.

"One, I am not an artifact. Two, I have no intention of letting them peek inside of me again so I hope there is a way out of here." Soundwave growled as he found a large door. He sprinted for it hoping he would find a hangar or something. When he saw a sign of a hangar he almost shouted in joy at his luck.

"Soundwave you might want to evade that room!" Ghost warned but was too late.

Soundwave went through the door and walked further inside but then stopped. He was greeted by the sight of at least ten of these Spartan super soldiers aiming their weapons at him. A bunch of normal humans which were labeled as marines by his HUD also decided to play scare the exo. But he was by all means not scared. Irritated, annoyed and pissed off matched his current mood better as he glared at the assembly of humans through the feed his helmet gave. His luck sucked.

"Drop the hostages and throw your weapons away you alien bastard." A female yelled at him. He spotted her at the front of the group with white armor. She was labeled as commander Palmer. The first impression of her was a brute who liked to kill things. If all humans here were like that he needed to escape fast.

From behind him the other Spartans came that were labeled fireteam Osiris. The pricks who were at the lab and had him run a lot with two humans on his broad shoulders. They stopped behind him and targeted him as well. The humans that were identified as doctor Halsey and doctor Glassman groaned softly on his shoulders. Hopefully they would not awaken and struggle. The last thing he needed was his hostages to whine like babies. The commander took a threatening step forward.

"Now drop them along with your weapons and walk away from them. Otherwise I'll put a bullet through that rusted head of yours" She hissed. Wow, talk about an attitude. Soundwave was so not liking her. His anger almost got the better of him

Soundwave didn't like the way she talked to him but nevertheless dropped them gently and his pulse rifle even more. It was one of his favorite weapons after all. He took one long step back. He expected them to let him go but the next thing he heard just screamed 'get the hell out or you're in deep fallen shit'. And boy that smelled even worse than Shaxx's body odor after a crucible match.

"Good, now we'll put you back on that table and cut you open to see what's in you, droid." She said lowly with that bossy tone as if she was his boss and superior. That did it for him.

He could stand been called a robot, after all he was that in a way, but no one called him a droid. He was a super advanced smart AI inside an advanced robotic body and not a mindless droid. The plates on his face twisted in a sinister smirk. He turned his gaze to the commander. He desperately wished his optics could fire lasers but his new trick would have to do the job.

"Not going to happen." He said in a distorted voice that frightened the marines and unsettled the Spartans. _"Now Atheon."_ He said to the second voice in his mind.

All around the room dark clouds began to form even where Soundwave stood. The clouds crackled and caused equipment to become slightly distorted but it disappeared after a few seconds. Now there were goblins standing in front of the humans with their slap rifles aimed at the startled humans. Hobgoblins were positioned behind the goblins with their line rifles and four minotaurs stood at Soundwave's side. One had a torch hammer and two of its fellow minotaurs had slap rifled in each hand. These three were positioned towards the major group while the other one with its own slap rifles was aimed towards team Osiris. Soundwave grinned as he saw that the Vex who helped him were the Hezen Protective. These Vex were designed for protection. Tensions rose quickly and in a split of a second Palmer gave the signal for all hell to break loose.

Guns fired on both sides causing noise that was loud enough to hear from a couple of halls away from the hangar where a firefight erupted. The Spartans could keep up with the teleporting goblins but needed to find enough cover. The marines fared less better unfortunately. The defensive Vex were ruthless as the minotaur with the torch cannon drove the marines into groups. The other minotaurs began to set their sights on the Spartan fireteams. The hobgoblins teleported to more remote locations of the hangar. One of them took position on top of a pelican. It charged its line rifle and let the bolt turn a marine's head into a bloody mess.

A goblin teleported behind a marine and held its hand out. The marine close to his comrade wanted to warn the unsuspecting soldier but was too late. The goblin used its melee attack and with a quick but mighty shockwave the marine was flung over the cover. All of his organs and bones were shattered on contact including the man's neck effectively killing him. The other marine fired his assault rifle straight at the goblin's head turning it into scrap. He relaxed but was petrified as the headless machine went in a frenzy and ran to him. He was saved by a Spartan IV who took the machine down with a battle rifle. The Spartan called for a medic who then checked up on him. The marine would have nightmares about headless robots chasing him in a frenzy but would survive.

A whole fireteam ganged up on one of the minotaurs and unloaded all they had on the tall machine. It fired back and its shield held out well while the Spartans had to find cover so their shields would recharge. The minotaur stomped where a Spartan would be if she had not rolled away but the shockwave staggered her. She looked up to see the red eye of the minotaur looking at her coldly. It shrieked and swung one arm at her knocking her against a warthog. All air left her lungs as the machine could swing as hard as a brute chieftain if not more. The other Spartans called out to her as she looked up and saw the minotaur bring down his arm and rifle like a hammer. The impact was too great for the MJOLNIR armor to withstand and a loud crack echoed to her team. The machine had caved her spine and ribs in. In a fury the Spartans finally took down the shield and the behemoth but all saw the broken mess it had left behind. The Infinity had lost a Spartan.

While all of this happened Soundwave was looking for a way out of here. He spotted a transport called a pelican. It was guarded by a squad of marines and while he did not like having to kill the humans he had no other choice. He called over two goblins who then picked up the unconscious doctors and went with him to the pelican. He held the Red Death steady in his hands before he pulled the trigger. The burst of light-fueled bullets found their marks in the surprised marines they fought back valiantly but the titan was too strong for them and the hobgoblins sniped the marines out of commission. Soundwave reached the pelican and sent the goblins inside. He asked Ghost to upload a guide for this transport so he could escape.

Locke evaded the hail of bolts again that the large machine fired at him. This thing looked a lot like the statue that his team along with the other Spartans and marines had found down on the planet. Its eye shined a bright crimson red and fired crimson bolts that exhausted his shields. Buck tried to get close but was stomped away. they had to distract it so Buck could go in and rip the metal apart with his shotgun.

"Vale do you have any plasma grenades left?" He asked the red armored Spartan through the teamcomm.

"Yeah I've got two left. You want me to stick them?" She replied while taking cover from one of the slap rifles that was aimed at her while the other focused on Buck. Tanaka was busy with two of the smaller robots that joined the large one.

"Do it on my mark. Tanaka are you done?" Locke asked the other female Spartan while distracting the large machine.

"I'm done with the small ones and ready to help." She replied as she distracted the large one as well. All of the tall robot's attention was directed at the two Spartans that pestered him.

"Alright Vale do it, you're next after her Buck." Locke ordered.

Vale primed the two grenades so they were enveloped in blue light. She threw them at the minotaur and they attached to its back. It was faintly aware of the explosives until they exploded and took down its shield. It staggered falling slightly forward. It looked up to see Buck blast two shotgun shells right into its head. The head of the minotaur flew out of its socket and was reduced to smoldering scrap. Sparks and electricity arched over its tall body. It swung left and right almost hitting buck before it was brought down by the concentrated fire of team Osiris. They stood close to the corpse as it slowly disintegrated.

"How the hell can they survive without a head? Everyone did see the shots I placed in its head right? Even a Promethean dies from that." Buck complained as they turned back to the main fight.

"Looks like they work differently than them." Tanaka said as she fired at the robots. More had appeared out of black fog that occasionally filled the hangar.

"Does anyone have sight on the target?!" Palmer asked loudly for them to hear. She sounded annoyed and irritated. Even more than usual.

"I think it headed for that pelican in the corner ma'am. Corporal Stevenson his squad was positioned there but now they're dead." A marine answered. True enough the Vex had formed a protective barrier around the pelican blocking them.

"It's trying to get away! Roland shut the hangar door now!" Palmer said to the smart AI of the ship.

"Understood commander." The AI answered. Within moments the doors began to slowly close. The process took some time though since the minotaur with the torch hammer had hit one of the blast door supports. The damage was not extreme but halted their progress.

Soundwave was beginning to start the pelican when he noticed the hangar doors closing. He quickly turned to Ghost for assistance.

"Ghost, I have an idea. When you're done come back to me." He said as his processors had formulated a plan. The plan would influence future events but right now his mind was reacting harshly. Anger and frustration had unfortunately clouded his judgment a bit.

Lasky watched the fight with horror painted on his face. The Vex were slaughtering his crew and he could only watch. He quickly turned to the bridge members.

"Are those doors sealed yet?" He asked anxiously.

"Almost sir, then we'll activate the shields." An operator answered.

"Sir we have a problem." Roland said alarmed as the hologram lit up.

"What is it now Roland?" Lasky asked impatiently. More problems were kind of unwanted at the moment.

"There is something in the systems and it has copied and downloaded almost all our files. From just history about earth to well, everything!" The AI replied now panicking. The bridge fell in a silence as they heard him.

"What? How is that possible? We have firewalls and AIs that monitor everything. Even you would notice. No AI has ever succeeded even if they were here on the ship." Lasky said not comprehending how this managed to happen. A lot of classified info would be given away. ONI would be very displeased.

"It is a very, very advanced AI sir. The only reason why I noticed is because it decided to show itself. Wait now it's doing something else." Roland said looking as if he was watching a video feed.

"What is it doing now then?!" Lasky yelled. Roland looked petrified. As if he just received word he would be decommissioned.

"It has stopped the doors and is arming our missiles. From smaller ones to the big ones. I can't stop it." The AI replied quietly. Lasky looked in horror at the ship's AI. Even the crew was horrified by the news. That this AI had access to so much was astonishing. It was bad news if the AI decided to blow the Infinity up from the inside.

"Roland what is the target then?" Lasky whispered. If it managed to access the nukes it could blow the escorts to smithereens.

"It had only enough time to arm our lower grade missiles properly but aside from our larger escorts the missiles are also set on the Infinity. We're going to fire at ourselves." Roland grimly replied.

"Send a warning to all ships and raise the shields. I want engineers headed towards the missile pods. Try to disarm them before they can do damage." Lasky swiftly ordered and soon the alarms blared and crew members ran as fast as they could to do their jobs.

Ghost was snickering as the AIs and engineers tried to find him. He had successfully disguised himself as a dumb AI in charge of the garbage disposal. The AI had tried to stop him but was quickly put into standby mode by Ghost. He has activated the weapon systems like Soundwave ordered but now he could not access the other systems unless he wanted to be discovered. He had shown himself earlier only so the humans would divert their attention somewhat from Soundwave. He was very pleased with the results.

With a chuckle he exited the terminal in the hangar where the humans still fought the Vex. For every goblin taken down two would take its place. He made his way to the pelican while cloaked and shielded if a stray bullet would hit him. He made it in one piece and flew past the six goblin majors and two hobgoblin majors that guarded the doctors. When he arrived in the cockpit Soundwave looked at him.

"Ready?" He asked his hovering friend.

"Ready as I'll ever be. I did what you asked and all is set. Too bad that the humans from this dimension are hostile to us. Are you sure we did what was right?" Ghost asked as he reflected on what they had just done. They practically declared war on humanity. If the weapons fired a lot of people would die.

"I know what you mean Ghost but they wanted to open me up. We'll talk about this later." Soundwave replied with a sigh. He now wished he could have avoided this fighting but humanity saw him as an asset to use unfortunately.

He pressed the button that closed the ramp and activated the pelican. It began to hover and faced the open hangar doors. With a last glance at the fighting behind them the pelican took off. It raced towards the planet and with slight hesitation Ghost sent the command to the Infinity. Missile pods opened and launched their contents. Missiles flew through the cold space and while some went towards the ships close to the flagship some turned around and went back. The missiles were being shot down by point defense cannons but not all were stopped.

They impacted against the hull of the Infinity causing the mighty ship to shudder as the shields held out for some time but failed as the other missiles slammed into the giant ship. Small sections of the ship were breached and engulfed in flames. Some of the crew were jettisoned into the dark clutches of space. The support vessels were for worse as a powerful missile struck the 'UNSC Talvisota'. The ship lost its shields on impact. The ship experienced a chain of explosives that tore the ship apart. Another pair of missiles ganged up on the 'UNSC Pentagon'. The ship began to fall apart as it had a reactor meltdown. At least two other ships were obliterated and five others were damaged but still functional albeit barely.

Leaving humanity behind him Soundwave made his way to Archeologis with his hostages.

….

"Shipmaster we will exit slipspace in a couple of minutes." An elite reported to shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum who sat in his command chair. The battle worn Sangheili nodded to the operator.

"Very well, notify the arbiter and the demons that we will soon arrive." He replied as the elite nodded and went to fulfill his task.

Rtas was anxious to have a chance at ending the life of that traitorous Jul Mdama. With his dead the Covenant would shatter and be easier to vanquish. He was grateful for the support that the humans had given them at Sanghelios in ending the last Covenant remains on the planet. The master chief was there as well with his family of demons to assist and formed a fearsome duo with the arbiter. After the events of the Ark and the flood the two had forged a strong bond of friendship and respect. His thoughts about the two were cut short as they entered the bridge. All elites bowed their heads in respect for the warriors who returned the gesture.

"Greetings my friend. I heard we will be arriving shortly?" Thel Vadam asked also known as the arbiter, leader of the council of Sanghelios.

"Yes arbiter. We should be arriving now. It will be good to see the fleet that drove back the hideous Covenant." Rtas said.

"No matter how many times I see it the Infinity amazes me." Arbiter replied with pride at having had a hand in building the flagship of the UNSC. When he heard they were designing a new flagship he volunteered in helping with the shield technology. It was a success and a sign of trust between the two races.

The ship lurched as it exited slipspace. The bridge was filled with a chorus of gasps as they could see the human fleet in front of them. While the Infinity was slightly damaged other vessels were burning and falling apart. The wreckage of a large cruiser floated past the Sangheili fleet. Another explosion occurred on a smaller escort and pelicans flew out of is hangars probably to evacuate the doom-awaiting ship. Rtas growled and grabbed the edges of his seat in an iron-grip.

"What happened here?" He growled out seeing the devastation that had struck the human fleet.

"I intend to find out. Hail the Infinity at once!" Arbiter commanded as the communications officer began working on his task.

For the whole waiting time master chief kept silent. He frowned behind his helmet as he assessed the damage. He could not see any signs that it was the Covenant. The question was what had done this.

"Arbiter, the Infinity is responding to our call." The elite communications officer said.

"Proceed." Came the reply and soon the image of captain Thomas Lasky greeted them.

"Am I glad to see you three. I'm sorry that I have to cut this short but as you have probably seen there is a lot for me to salvage. I was hoping you could perhaps come to the Infinity's bridge to discuss the recent events?" Lasky said with a face that told them how exhausted he was.

"Very well captain. We will come aboard at once. I will have some of my warriors aid in your evacuations and repairs." The arbiter replied with a nod. He turned to the chief and they were on his way as Rtas quickly gave a few commands before following them.

They all boarded a phantom, the rest of blue team included, and flew out of Shadow of Intent's hangar. The small craft flew past the wreckage of a destroyed cruiser before they docked in the hangar where the fighting had occurred. As they exited the transport they saw the damage that the fighting had brought to the large hangar. Dozens of vehicles were destroyed and there were still blood marks left on the ground or elsewhere. As they made their way to leave John saw the prints of heavy feet that had purposely stomped on the metal floor. They went with a tram and arrived shortly at the bridge. They were just in time to hear Lasky ordering the crew around.

"I want an update on the 'Pearl' now! Roland what is our status on the evacuation of the 'Ocean's storm'." He ordered.

"They're done at seventy percent at the moments sir but due to another internal explosion a few sailors were launched into space." Roland grimly stated. Lasky sighed and let his head hang for a moment.

"Sir, what happened here?" Chief asked as he made themselves known. Lasky turned around and looked at the elites and the Spartans.

"Let's get you all briefed." Lasky said before retelling the story of what catastrophe happened on the Infinity.

When he talked about the new enemy called the Vex the Arbiter looked in deep thought as if looking for a solution to this mechanical threat. Vale had reported what the doctors had said. At hearing that Halsey had said that this robot was an AI and had more potential than Cortana the chief looked grimly. At the mention that she had said it was with Forerunner influence the arbiter and the shipmaster were very interested. Then hearing about the slaughter that took place in the hangar that they arrived in was baffling. The Vex looked a lot like the Prometheans but according to Halsey the Vex are more ancient than the Forerunners themselves. The news that an unidentified AI learned almost about everything in the Infinity databanks and how it took control of the missiles was also very unsettling.

"Sir do we know how much we lost?" Fred asked, he and the other Spartan IIs had kept silent.

"Roland, will you please tell them." Lasky said with a heavy sigh.

"To sum it up we lost three Halcyon-class light cruisers, one Marathon-class heavy cruiser, one Strident-class heavy frigate, four Paris-class heavy frigates, all their crew members excluding the survivors. On the Infinity we lost sixty-two marines, twenty engineers, five officers, thirty other personnel and finally two Spartan IVs." Roland quietly said.

The newly arrived reinforcements silently processed the information. All this damage, destruction and death was caused by only one being. The sheer weight of all of this must be terrible for Lasky. It was his job to defend his crew and no doubt the man blamed himself.

"What is blue team's mission sir?" Chief asked strongly. Lasky looked at the man that ended the human-covenant war and felt inspired by just that sentence.

"For now I'll have to finish work here so I won't be able to send many hands down there. We have set up a base close to one of the Covenant's main sites. I'll send you there and from there on out you'll have to try find the doctors and recover them. If you see the robot take it down but remember this is a rescue operation. With half our fleet in shambles the remaining Covenant forces might try to capitalize on this opportunity. Good luck Spartans." Lasky ordered now gaining some of his confidence back.

"Understood sir. Blue team will head out at once." The chief answered with a salute that Lasky gladly returned.

"I will aid you as well Spartan. Shipmaster Rtas will stay here and guard the human fleet with our own. I will head to this base with my own troops and organize an assault on the Covenant." Arbiter added.

"Um sir, before you all leave I have something for you. It's very important." Roland suddenly said. All heads snapped to the hologram of the smart AI.

"Go ahead Roland what is it?" Lasky asked concerned.

"I was busy talking with the AI that was assaulted and apparently the intruding AI left a message." He answered. Now all attention was on him. Roland was starting to feel nervous under all the attention.

"Tell us construct." Thel said gently.

"Alright here goes." The AI said before the message played. A hologram of a small diamond-shaped construct appeared. It had a blue eye and was black.

"Greetings humans. I am Ghost, companion of the exo that you have found. Seeing as you are hostile to us we were forced to take violent actions. What we just did is an act of war against humanity, we know this, but what we didn't know was that humans from this dimension were going to mind-rape us. We have taken doctor Halsey and doctor Glassman as hostages to discourage you from trying to find us. We will ask them questions and when we deem fit we will release them. As the last sentient Forerunner my companion has claimed this planet as home world. You are to leave now, stay and the results will be very severe." The now identified Ghost said ominously before the message ended.

"That was interesting." Kelly said awkwardly.

"Mind-rape?" Arbiter asked and looked at Lasky for an explanation.

"The doctors were studying this 'exo' and I think they tried to study the AI within." Lasky explained as he rubbed his chin in deep thought.

"So this exo saw this as a provocation?" The shipmaster asked.

"Maybe but we didn't attack him. From the footage we saw it suddenly activate, getting gear out of nowhere and sprinting of with the doctors. When we called for it to stand down it summoned an army of Vex that aimed their weapons at us. Commander Palmer replied as protocol dictated and opened fire on them." Lasky further explained.

"With all due respect sir but I think we should still go after the doctors. If the exo has declared war on us and is of Forerunner origin it might try to use the Prometheans against us." Chief spoke up.

"Or worse, it said it was the last sentient Forerunner. I do not doubt that the Covenant would follow it." The arbiter said as he looked again at the strange construct that looked like a monitor in a way.

"I agree, we're not changing plans. The mission is a go Spartans, good luck." Lasky said and saw them all retreat from the bridge. He sighed again and looked at the planet below.

….

Halsey groaned as she slowly woke up. She opened her eyes and saw she was in a pelican. A pelican filled with Vex machines that watched her and Glassman intensely. Glassman was next to her and had already woken up as he looked desperate as one of the Vex held him down. She tried to get his attention but then the pelican landed. She heard the engines shut down and saw that the armored machine walked out of the cockpit.

"Good, you're both awake. Now you can walk." Soundwave said in that overlapped and distorted voice he used when not addressing Ghost or Atheon.

"Where are we? Why have you taken us?" Glassman fearfully asked. The last time he was abducted by aliens didn't work out so well for him.

"We're back on the planet. I was going to make contact with the Prometheans and the Covenant as well. You two will accompany me." The titan answered as his Red Death materialized in his hands.

"How did you do that?" Halsey asked intrigued as she studied the weapon.

"That is for me to know and for you to find out. But wait, you already tried that by forcing your way in my mind." Soundwave replied sarcastically. He was still pissed at them for opening his head.

"In my defense we were simply trying to find out what you were." Halsey calmly replied.

"I am a who doctor Halsey." He said savoring the mild shock she had on her face.

"Now that you say that how do you know about us, the Prometheans and the Covenant?" She asked having her suspicions.

"Ghost went in the Infinity's databanks and downloaded all to know. After that he uploaded it to me. So I know a lot like this ONI for example. Not so long before you went in my head, mind-rapist, there was a meeting with high command where the head of ONI, admiral Osman, ordered you to see if you could perhaps reprogram me to be your slave." Soundwave told her looming over her. Glassman watched the conversation between the two and was impressed by Halsey's ability to remain so calm.

"I cannot deny that but believe me I hate her as well. She is a bitch that tried to kill me" Hasley said with a scowl at the mention of Osman. The large armored kidnapper hummed.

"So we agree on something then. Let me tell you doctor I did not want to go to war with humanity. You see I come from a different dimension although this is my home planet." Soundwave told her. He sat down on the opposite bench and placed his weapon in his lap.

"Interesting, I presume you were brought away by the Vex then." Halsey inquired seemingly forgotten that she was abducted.

"Yes, but the main exo. Before you ask exos are my race. But in a way you could say that exo prime was sent to the other dimension. I recently killed the main Vex lord and became the new prime. I'm stuck here and the Vex follow me. Now that hell has broken loose between me and the UNSC I plan on making a power base for myself." Soundwave explained.

"By controlling the Prometheans and the Covenant?" She further inquired.

"Indeed doctor, I applaud your skills. Your file does you credit. Besides the false accusations on you by ONI of course. I am actually a clone in a way. In mind I am fully Forerunner and therefore I believe I might be able to control the Prometheans. As for the Covenant they will happily follow their god and even if they do not believe me to be Forerunner in mind they would still follow me since I would be like the gods their messenger." Soundwave explained.

"That is smart indeed. Now if I may ask, what will you do exactly?" She asked. It was the important question that she saved for last. Soundwave dematerialized his helmet and allowed her to look in his optics.

"To be honest, I have taken enough lives for now. I plan on fortifying the Covenant and change it in something better. I want it to become a society where all species are equal. If the UNSC wants a truce for peace then I would accept. But of course all Forerunner worlds and artifacts are rightfully mine." Soundwave said in his normal voice.

"I see." Was all that Halsey said.

"Um, if I may ask of course, but what is a Ghost?" Glassman asked with a quiet voice. Soundwave gave a slight smirk and held his hand out. Ghost came into view and floated towards Glassman.

"Why that would be me doctor Glassman. So you're the scientist in charge of the Infinity. While I was in the system I saw some of your work. I am very impressed by your theory on gravitation wells. How did you figure out that if you had the right equipment it could affect only certain areas?" Ghost chatted with the now more relaxed man. He gave a look at the goblin that held the doctor down. The goblin followed the order and released the man and stepped outside where the rest of its counterparts were.

"Thank you, for that as well. I did a lot of research and tests and I must say that I had help but eventually I came to the conclusion." Glassman said with a little smile. He was at least getting better treatment than the last time.

"Ok don't start about technical stuff now. We can do that when we find shelter." Soundwave interjected and grabbed his rifle. He had an impression that , even while she might be cold, Halsey was a good person who wished the best for humanity and gave her life for that purpose. He had to respect that.

As they all got set and he had given commands to the Vex, which was easy since he did it with his mind, he turned back to the humans. He saw Ghost chatting with Glassman and was relieved to see that the doctor was less afraid now. He walked beside Halsey and evaluated her. He still had his helmet off so she could see his visage.

"Doctor, if it is okay to ask, what happened to your arm?" He asked delicately. The old woman looked at her stump where once her arm was mournfully.

"ONI thought I was rogue and wanted me gone. I have always been a thorn in their side and once they see an opportunity they take it." She replied with very concealed anger. But Soundwave picked it up of course.

"I know how it feels doctor. Here take this." He said and handed her a datapad. Halsey looked at with interest and accepted the device.

"What is it?" She asked as it activated t.

"It contains information on the Vex and me. Where I come from and some of my abilities." He replied honestly. Halsey's eyes widened considerably.

"Why would you share this with your enemy?" She asked. He gave her a shrug, a very human-like gesture that she noticed.

"You seem okay to me. I'm still somewhat pissed at you for entering my head but you did it for the sake of humanity. That is something which I have to respect. You did some things which are quite bad but again, if it wasn't for you humanity would have likely not won the war. It is cruel that ONI blames you for things that they had a hand in." He told her honestly. Halsey was perplexed by this exo. He was honest with her and looked so alive.

"Thank you, I haven't asked for your name. Will you tell me yours?" She asked with more respect now.

"It is Soundwave, pleased to meet you Catherine." He replied as his face formed a smile.

"Likewise Soundwave. Quite the catchy name." She said with a slight smile. She saw his facial expressions and she must have imagined things because he looked almost sad.

"Yes, yes it is." He said slightly absently. Suddenly a goblin teleported close to her. "This one will assist you and protect you. I'll now go the front, I'll see you later Halsey." He said before walking to the front of the group. His helmet was once again equipped.

Halsey didn't know what to make of Soundwave. He sounded and acted human. She truly believed he was a Forerunner in mind. He could be aggressive yet kind and gentle when he wanted to. Showing her information was either foolish or a sign of trust and a favor. The aid of this machine was not something he had to give her but he did. Silently she viewed the datapad and felt more at ease with the piece of hardware in her hands. She could hear Glassman crack a joke and Ghost laugh. Maybe this capture would be better than the last one.

 **And that is a long chapter one. Please review to let me know what you people think about it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello and welcome to chapter two. A few things I would like to say:**

 **To the guest who reviewed : The Hive will appear of course but not necessarily so soon.**

 **And I appreciate all ideas and suggestions and consider them.**

 **Enjoy!**

 _ **Archeologis, Soundwave and his group**_

"So how long is it going to take?" Glassman asked as he climbed over a boulder. Next was Halsey who got assistance from the goblin that was assigned to her. They had been walking for an hour or so after they left the pelican behind. It was only because that Ghost had found a tracking device that Soundwave got the idea of walking. Perhaps he should have 'borrowed' a warthog as well. Then again with the uneven terrain it would have only slowed them down here.

"Not that far away. My sensors are picking up a Promethean security center. We should reach it soon." Ghost replied easily hovering over the obstacle. The Vex simply phased around it while Soundwave used his lift ability to float over it. Soundwave was slightly anxious. The additional Vex he had recently summoned were being dispatched. Four Spartans came but he did not know who. Making sure he left enough forces to occupy the Spartans he relaxed. They were not in a hurry and if they kept the pace they would be safe.

"That was your lift ability no?" Doctor Halsey asked when he landed. She had studied the datapad and particularly about the Vex and the guardians. She had asked him what this 'light' was. Of course he had just said space magic. It was like how the titans taunted the warlocks shouting that they should do some fireworks. Halsey had actually rolled her eyes at his answer humoring the exo.

"Yes it was doctor." Soundwave replied with a chuckle.

"Hey I wanted to ask you earlier but what are these things called?" Glassman asked intrigued by the Vex that silently walked with them. Soundwave had expected them to be able to talk but as far as he knew Atheon was the only talkative Vex.

"Well you have the goblins, the ones with the cone-head, the hobgoblin, the ones with the tail, but there also other types. Each one has a function in the Vex network." Soundwave answered casually.

"Are they AI as well?" The doctor further asked. The man had a curiosity that rivaled a cryptarch. The thought made Soundwave a little bit more at home so he answered. He missed the tower and felt even more guilty that he had hurt the humans. But then he reminded himself of how they wanted to experiment on him. He had made an oath to the last city, not the UNSC. This UEG was corrupt, that he knew.

"Well if you haven't noticed it, there is white fluid in a box in them. It's called a Vex mind core. This is what makes them function and connects them to the network. Much isn't really known about them. We had a whole academy on Venus that researched them." Soundwave replied as he showed it on a goblin.

"So essentially it is their weak spot." Glassman concluded. Soundwave winced a bit as his nostalgia had revealed another secret. Yet then again he had shown Halsey a lot of secrets. Yeah he would talk less about the topic now. He still had a backup plan of course. Damn his judgment problems.

"So how about these Spartans doctor?" Soundwave asked as he diverted his gaze to Halsey.

"What do wish to know? You've read the files." She said slightly confused. Of course she didn't show it. Halsey was surprisingly good company. Her cold demeanor was something she rarely used after the kindness he had shown. He had made it clear he was not going to let them die.

"Well, a file only tells you so much. I've read about this John-117, the master chief. Apparently he's humanity greatest Spartan and hero. He defeated the Covenant and the…" Soundwave began but stopped as he suddenly remembered details about his past in this dimension. The Vex stopped as well and so did the humans.

"Soundwave?" Ghost asked but his companion kept silent.

He remembered a parasite crawling over metal joining its species as it devoured a man. All over the city parasites ran consuming all that lived. Green masses overlapped the buildings. Corpses littered the ground and were absorbed by the green stinking substance. Some of the corpses had their flesh decay immensely before they rose and started walking. They looked for more food. A large plant-looking thing made out of countless of corpses laughed with a booming voice. It was horrifying and the large thing boomed with his deep and dark voice. _**"You will join me in the grave."**_

"Soundwave!" Ghost yelled getting the exo out of his flashback. He looked around startled and hoping it was all gone. His gaze met the concerned looks of the humans.

"What happened?" Halsey asked gently. He now noticed his optics were widened. The fear he experienced was so cold and terrifying.

"I remember the flood." He quietly answered. The looks of the human doctors were now sympathetic. No one was the same after an encounter with the wretched parasite.

"I've seen them on a video before. To see them in person must be traumatizing." Glassman said as he shivered at the memory. He had studied the flood in case they encountered it again. He had thrown up after an infection form did its work on a brute. After that he had a lot of nightmares.

"It was, I saw their boss." Soundwave said while he calmed down.

"The Gravemind?" Halsey inquired with wide eyes. Soundwave's head snapped to her astonished.

"How do you know?" He asked but it sounded like a whisper.

"You said it yourself. John fought the flood and won. He killed the Gravemind on the ark." Hasley said softly to assure him that the Gravemind was gone. Soundwave let out a sound that was very similar to a sigh.

"Thank the Traveler, that nightmare is finally gone. My respect for this Spartan has most certainly increased then." He said before walking back to the front of the group and resuming their walk.

"It would be best if you left him alone for now." Ghost said to the doctors. They walked as well but kept their gaze on the mysterious exo.

"Is it bad?" Glassman asked sympathetic to him.

"Exos don't remember their past. Don't forget that while the original had a Forerunner mind, they are copies that are each different in a way. There have been incidents where an exo could remember a piece of their past when they forced it and the memories were increased tenfold. Each one was traumatized and committed suicide. We never knew what was so horrifying that they did something that radical but with what I've read about this flood makes it very logical now." Ghost explained sadly. A lot of exos had screamed for something to go away. They all cried over how it crawled and came back.

"I understand." Glassman said before he fell in a silence as well.

The group walked to the Promethean security center in silence. They never noticed that a sniper had spotted them and alerted the rest of his comrades. The group would have company soon it seemed. They walked on for around ten minutes before they reached a Forerunner construction. The metal shined brightly in the setting sunlight. With it the structure seemed to be more of a form of art than barracks for dangerous defensive AI. The architecture was somewhat familiar to Soundwave as he took a good look at it. It had a pillar on top that stretched quite some distance in the sky. A small tower is what it looked like with a smaller building attached to it and other buildings around it. He did not doubt that it was more like an outpost.

His suspicions were correct as sirens activated. When he looked to the left he saw four Spartans. He identified them as blue team, a bunch of Spartan IIs. He saw Kelly-087, Fred-104 and Linda-058. But he his gaze was firmly set on the leader. John-117, the fricking master chief. Yup he hated his luck even more now.

…..

 _ **Earlier, blue team**_

The pelican that transported the famous blue team came to a halt and descended where the stolen pelican had landed. The clearing in the forest had little cover to hide the vehicle. It hovered over the ground so the Spartans could jump off. Master Chief walked to the cockpit where the pilots were scanning the area.

"Looks like we're clear sir. We'll stay in the air to provide support for whenever you need it. Samson drop the mongooses." The first pilot said in a Spanish accent.

"Roger that." Samson replied as he pressed the button which undid the claps that held the small vehicles attached to the back of the pelican.

"Thanks soldiers." The Chief replied before he left and jumped down the ramp.

The rest of his team were already on the ground waiting for him. Without any warning a purple projectile flew through the air before it slammed into the pelican. Out of nowhere multiple Vex teleported in the opening shooting at the transport. Another one of the large purple shots soared through the air hitting the cockpit. With a loud explosion the pelican lost control and crashed against the other one. The shot came from a minotaur with a torch hammer.

"Blue team, take the hostiles out!" Chief ordered as he opened fire with his assault rifle.

His team followed his orders and did so as well. The goblins held back and tried to gun the Spartans down. Blue team rushed the goblins with the intention of dealing quickly with the threat. They easily destroyed the first wave of foot soldiers. Then the hobgoblins began firing their line rifles. A bolt struck Fred but he dove behind a rock waiting for his shields to recharge. Linda kept herself busy with taking out the enemy snipers with her own. She shot one's head off but was surprised to see it still functional although the shots were more erratic.

"Try aiming for the white part in their bodies. I heard from fireteam Osiris that that's their weak spot." Fred advised as he gunned a goblin down with a clean shot to the core using his DMR.

Kelly used her speed to evade the incoming bolts and attracted the attention of the minotaur. She skillfully dodged the shots and came close enough to the second line of goblins to use her shotgun. The shell tore one's head off causing the machine to go in a frenzy. Kelly caved the carcass of the goblin in using the stock of her weapon. Another one used its melee attack to drop her shields and push the large Spartan back. It was rewarded by a shotgun shot in the chest. Three other goblins phased close to her and one managed to hit her shoulder plate. The metal piece melted at the contact of the ruby bolt and she decided that she needed cover. Before she left to hide behind a tree trunk she tossed a grenade that blew Vex parts in the air.

"Watch out if they get close. Their hand to hand attack packs quite the punch and eliminates your shield." She told her teammates. They all flashed their green lights in acknowledgment.

Fred fired his DMR at a hobgoblin and saw it being enveloped in an orange light. The bullets didn't work anymore and he was forced into cover as the other hobgoblins turned to him.

"The ones with the snipers can become invulnerable for an amount of time." He reported as well as they learned more and more about the machines.

The Chief dashed for the minotaur and slammed into the large Vex with all his weight. His boosters reinforced his shoulder charge and the machine fell on the ground. He shot his assault rifle at it but saw a purple shield take the hits. The minotaur came back up and fired his cannon at the Chief who dodged the shots with a grace that would put others to shame. The minotaur roared and suddenly two hobgoblins teleported to it. They simultaneously fired their rifles at him. The tree that served as cover was reduced to splinters as the powerful bolts pierced it. The shields of the MJOLNIR suit were being depleted and the Chief had to hurry.

He grabbed a plasma grenade and threw it at one of the hobgoblins. When it landed on the right one it went into stasis but the left one did not do that. A huge mistake as the grenade went off and blasted the machine away. When the surviving one came out of stasis it was met by an energy sword from the Chief that sliced through it. The minotaur had come close thanks to the distraction and tried to stomp the Chief under its large foot. Chief had suspicions that it was capable of this after seeing the damage in the wrecked hangar. As he rolled away and to his credit didn't stagger he had left a grenade for the behemoth. It went off sending shrapnel and fire into the machine. The shields were gone and with a precise strike of the sword, the minotaur succumbed and fell to the ground.

Chief joined up with his team and dealt with the other Vex that simply didn't flee or run even as they did not stand a chance against the Spartan IIs. When the last goblin was obliterated by Linda's sniper rifle they took a look at the pelicans

"Pilots are dead, not big surprise." Fred reported as he took a look at the wrecked cockpit. The blast had destroyed everything within.

"Mongooses are still operational. One got hit by a bolt but no severe damage." Kelly said as she inspected the two vehicles that they would use.

"Comms are down as well, we're being jammed." Fred then added.

"What's our next move Chief?" Linda asked the leader of blue team.

"Fred, what does Codes report?" Chief asked. Codes was the AI assigned to blue team for help. Fred was the one who took the AI but the computer program hardly spoke up since it was relatively shy.

"Go on Codes, tell us what you got." Fred said to the AI gently.

"Um, I managed to scan one of these Vex and got a signal. They broadcasted to someone to the north. We should be able to reach them with the vehicles when the sun sets." The AI responded.

"Do you have any idea where they are headed?" Kelly asked.

"I think so. Further their direction is a small Forerunner structure. The drone that sighted it was shot down when it came close though." Codes answered her. They now all turned to the Chief.

"Let's go then." He said and they hopped on the mongooses. Chief and Kelly drove while Linda and Fred sat in the back.

They drove through the forest and found it to be hard to navigate. If you were a normal human of course. With their Spartan minds and their training they easily found the paths to reach their objective soon. While they drove Linda spotted footprints. With only one quick look she concluded the trail was relatively fresh. There were prints of a large group. She concluded that they had likely escorts. The Chief acknowledged and continued to drive through the forest that became darker by the minute. The sun was setting so they should be close. There was a silence until it was broken by Fred.

"Codes his radar is picking something up!" Fred yelled.

True enough they heard noise coming from above. Flying Vex flew after them and pursued them. They were triangular in shape and had small tentacle-like cables. The flying Vex whirred and showed two small guns. They opened fire and shot their crimson energy bolts at the Spartans who evaded the barrage of enemy fire. The bolts impacted in the ground and trees causing dirt and splinters to litter their path. The Chief and Kelly accelerated while Fred and Linda took the job of eliminating the threat.

"Codes intercepted that signal again. He thinks that those things are called harpies." Fred said while shooting one in the eye. The machine smoked from the inside and crashed roughly in the dirt. It exploded sending shrapnel all over the place.

"Heads up more incoming!" Linda yelled and indeed more harpies chased them.

The persistent Vex chased them over any obstacle and shot their bolts at the ambushed Spartans. The Vex decided to be more strategically and formed groups of three. Two groups for two mongooses. Unfortunately for them it was not enough as Linda shot each one with very deadly precision. Another flock came from the left forcing the drivers to change course. Now it was the Spartans that were in a bad position as that was what the Vex wanted. Appearing in front of them were around six goblins that opened fire. The blots impacted against the vehicles damaging them and against the Spartans their shields depleting them. Chief's shield gave out and a bolt hit him in his side. Ignoring the pain he drove over a goblin. Leaving the goblins behind blue team went on while still being chased by harpies.

"Mongooses are going to give out soon!" Kelly yelled as hers was already smoking.

"How much distance left to the signal?" Chief asked Codes while dodging a blast to the head.

"Not that far away. If we left the vehicles and took down the harpies we would still be able to reach the doctors before they reach the installation." Codes answered quietly but audible enough to hear.

"I say we take the chances. Having the Mongooses blow up while we're on them is not going to help." Kelly said with slight sarcasm.

"Alright blue team, engage the harpies." The Chief ordered as he turned the vehicle and came to a halt. Kelly did the same and soon they all focused on the flying Vex.

The harpies didn't anticipate the Spartans to stop so they flew over them. Some of they were taken out by well-placed shots and crashed down. The others opened up and attacked again. None stood a chance against the skills and firepower of blue team and were easily dispatched. Then the goblins found them. They fired grenades at the Spartans and now the vehicles were nothing more but burning metal. Linda shot the last goblin down with the sniper and threw the empty mag away.

"I don't have a lot of ammo left." She reported while inserting another mag.

"Same here, ammo was on the Mongooses but those Vex destroyed all of it." Fred added as he counted the ammo he had left.

"Usually there are weapons left by the enemy but these Vex their weapons disintegrate along with the Vex themselves." Kelly said looking at the craters the downed harpies had left but no traces of the harpies.

"We need to move now if we want reach them." Chief said as he checked on ammo as well. All in all they had enough left but his fellow Spartans were right. If they had another encounter like that their chances would lessen especially against the Exo.

"I think I spotted them." Linda said while looking through the scope of her sniper rifle. She saw metal glistening in the sunlight not so far away. It moved and had a bronze color to it.

"How far away?" Chief asked as he came to stand at the ridge of the hill where they were as well. True enough there was a Forerunner construction not that far away.

"Like Codes said, if we hurry we'll reach them when they arrive. Ambush won't be possible, unless you send Kelly alone." Linda replied surveying the area.

"Move out team." Chief ordered and soon they started running through the forest to get to their objective as fast as possible. They kept a steady pace so they wouldn't be exhausted when they arrived but only if they encountered an entire army they would be exhausted. Spartan IIs were the best after all.

So they kept running through the forest with their eyes open for any other ambushes. They were glad there were none as they neared the Forerunner installation. With little ammunition left and unpredictable Vex they were at a disadvantage. No doubt that this advanced AI could break into the Forerunner systems to activate whatever was stored in that building. Codes had lost the signal thanks to interference caused by the building so they went in blindly. With weapons ready they silently stepped on the metal platform surrounding the structure. All went well until a siren went off. They all snapped to attention and looked around. Then they spotted their targets to their right. They saw goblins and hobgoblins along with the doctors, a floating device that looked like a monitor and the Exo who also looked at them.

…..

"Your luck sucks." Ghost deadpanned as he narrowed his optic at his guardian.

"Tell me about it." Soundwave replied. He had his helmet off and his own optics narrowed at the Spartan IIs. The legendary blue team according to his information. Halsey and Glassman were even more surprised than him.

"It's them, Kelly, Fred, Linda and John." Halsey softly said with wide eyes as if she was a parent finally seeing her children again. It was uncertain though if she thought that way since Soundwave had asked her what she thought of her Spartans. She had not instantly answered and actually never answered. He did not know if she felt bad about abducting the kids. He got along with Halsey but then again it was not like he was much better. He had done things that were ordered by the Vanguard and only after those missions he actually thought about what he had done. Some actions were very dirty and questionable. Maybe that was why he got along with her. They had both done bad things for their people.

"Release the hostages." Chief demanded as he and the other Spartans aimed their weapons at the group. The Vex reacted within a fraction of a second by aiming theirs as well to protect their Time's Conflux. A stalemate was reached between the two groups as they both held each other at gunpoint. Soundwave was already formulating a plan and was almost done until a mechanical screech sounded. Everyone looked to the source to see promethean soldiers, crawlers, watchers and knights appear on the platform. They were all positioned in a semi-circle around the structure in a defensive formation.

"Oh not again." Glassman whined in terror as he was reunited with the death machines.

When Soundwave his optics landed on the Prometheans he felt connected to them. As if something in his head told him that they were friendly but corrupted. He did as his instinct commanded and held a hand to them. When he waved over them their orange glow faded and was replaced by a blue one. The Prometheans lowered their weapons at Soundwave and his company but kept them raised at the Spartans. Soundwave was now in charge of these Prometheans and was going to use it in his plan.

"Well, it looks like you're a little bit too late Master Chief. The distraction I sent was not wasted after all." Soundwave said in a mocking tone. It was all about appearances.

"We're still taking the doctors with us." Chief replied stubbornly. He was set on fulfilling his mission but the situation was grim for his team. The Prometheans slowly left their formation and surrounded the Spartan IIs. It was very grim.

"Now I don't know about that. I think you're not really in a position to bargain. In fact I could snap my fingers and around thirty hostiles will open fire on you. Even if you survived, there is no guarantee that your family does. Not to mention the hostages, I can break their necks before you have even moved from that spot. Or I'll even shock them until they're smoking flesh. Maybe I'll do it to the man and then I'll let the woman eat him up. Nah he'll taste bad. Though maybe I'll rip his spine out of him and stab the other with it. So many options, how exhilarating. It would be better to make a deal no? unless you want me to have fun." Soundwave said tilting his head to the side in mock-thought. Let them think they've figured out how you work and then surprise them. That was the tactic that Soundwave would use.

The Chief knew they were heavily outmatched. It was like the Gravemind all over again. He couldn't do a thing without endangering his own but also the doctors and his team's safety. The Exo knew he would listen to this deal. The sadistic options were enough to let his alarms go off.

"What is it?" He said calmly.

"I release the doctors and you all leave." Soundwave said pulling out his shotgun and inspecting it. The trick had its surprise on the Spartans and doing as if it was nothing important. It would add to his performance of having another personality than the one he actually had.

"Why?" Chief asked not believing he would let them go so easily. He was getting the impression that this Exo was as evil as the Didact if not more sadistic and cunning.

"Let's just say you did something that has my gratitude." Soundwave answered less performing now but keeping up the appearance. He was glad that the doctors kept silent during the whole talk. He wished he could properly express his gratitude for ending that wretched parasite but alas.

"How can I trust you?" Chief further asked. Soundwave smirked slightly and turned to the doctors.

"Halsey, I showed you some knowledge and will let you keep a certain amount of it. This will be hopefully the last time we meet each other." Soundwave whispered before putting his uncovered hands on the doctors. Arc energy surged and went straight to their brains erasing their memories of the past twenty-four hours. It was a trick that he was installed with when he was taken into the Vanguard SpecOps. The doctors fell unconscious and slumped into his arms. Two goblins picked them up and walked to the Spartans. They gave them to blue team, Linda and Fred took the unconscious humans, and then walked back to their leader.

"There goes my part, you can ask the AI in Fred his suit for confirmation that they're alive." Soundwave said lazily. Chief's eyes narrowed behind the visor and looked to Fred who nodded. They were still alive and so were the Spartans.

"I was ordered to take the doctors back and take you down if I could." He slowly said while contemplating the possibility. "But the doctors were my main objective." He then said as he relaxed his stance. This was just lowering his weapon a tiny bit that normal people wouldn't even notice.

"Glad to see some Spartans with a head." Soundwave said before waving him off enthusiastically as the Prometheans went out of their way.

Blue team took this as their sign to leave. They slowly walked away, their eyes never leaving their foes before they disappeared into the forest. Soundwave dropped the act and turned to Ghost who floated silently at his side.

"Well?" Soundwave asked for his opinion.

"I give you a nine for the douchebag performance." Ghost remarked. If he had a face he would have smirked.

"Yes well, there was a good reason why I did that." Soundwave said looking at the Prometheans who neatly stood at attention before him.

"Oh and what would that be?" Ghost asked curiously as he scanned the Prometheans.

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. 'The Art of War' by the Chinese general and military strategist Sun Tzu from humanity's history. I find it intriguing and what better way to defeat a race then to use their own tactics against them. They think they know me now but they're wrong. The information I gave Halsey and that she will remember are simply how the Vex types are called. All info on me that she got was also deleted from her mind. I have all the files about my enemy from medical to psychological. Maybe I'll plan on making sure they don't know themselves in the future. Halsey and Glassman were more at ease so I got to know them more. They don't really know me now." Soundwave replied. He inspected the Prometheans as well before entering to the outpost. Ghost faithfully followed.

"Looks like a strategy. Why did you give her it anyway?" Ghost asked getting a smirk from the cunning exo.

"To make her obedient. She would be busy finding a way to escape. The greatest way to make a scientist obedient, is to spark their lust for knowledge." Soundwave said as the door to the command center opened automatically. The room was not large and had multiple terminals inside. They went to central one.

"I see. Are you sure you're not a warmind?" Ghost teased. He was impressed by the plan though.

"No, I'm an exo with part of a Forerunner mind. Besides, I don't like classic music as much as Rasputin." Soundwave said as he put his hand over the holographic screen. He interfaced easily with the system as if it was waiting for him to return.

"What's the plan now?" Ghost asked as he did the same. The Vex dutifully took their place in the room as guards while the Prometheans secured the perimeter.

"Well, the Prometheans here are mine to control but unfortunately I'll need to get to the planet's master terminal to expand my command over all Prometheans. We'll even find more info there. We also still need to contact the Covenant. They can even help us to get to that terminal." Soundwave answered thoughtfully while absorbing all the info from the outpost terminal.

"Look at this, we can use this outpost as an amplifier to broadcast your command signal to the whole sector of the outpost. All promethean forces here would be directly under our control." Ghost said as he picked up on intel as well. Never before had he seen such technology aside from golden age tech.

"Looks like it. I'll begin sending out the command signal at once." Soundwave said and focused on it. A relay began folding itself open on top of the tower before it activated.

"How did you get that signal anyway?" Ghost inquired while shifting through the defensive weaponry on the outpost.

"I simply kind of remembered it when I saw those Prometheans. As if it was hidden within my matrix." Soundwave vaguely answered. He had no clue that he had hidden programming within him. Hearing about the flood with its Gravemind and seeing the Prometheans made those things resurface. He was a copy of the exo prime and all of its knowledge was carried over into the new exos. They were different individually, yet the same in a whole.

"Well that explains- wait the sensors are picking aircraft up. I'm scanning their signatures now." Ghost said alarmed cutting the conversation short.

"Signal sent. Now what do we know?" Soundwave said as he readied his Invective shotgun.

"You might want to see this." Ghost said activating a screen. It showed a live video feed of a Covenant SDV-class heavy corvette along with multiple Phantoms and multiple Spirits. The transport shuttles were headed for the outpost along with the corvette.

"Looks like the Covenant is coming to us. Let's go Ghost." Soundwave said and they went outside along with the Vex and Prometheans to surprise the visitors.

…..

"Has Codes reestablished communications yet?" Chief asked while checking up on the doctors.

"Almost, somehow the jammer went off so we should get in touch soon. He did say that the doctors are fine. They've been shocked and are just unconscious. Any other damage to them will have to be found by the medical staff onboard of the Infinity." Fred responded. They had been walking for some time now and still no attack from the Vex or the Prometheans.

"Tell me why we're not eliminating the Exo yet?" Linda asked slightly annoyed.

"The doctors are our main objective. We were outnumbered, low on ammo and in a bad situation." Chief answered begrudgingly.

"Looks like the Exo is able to control the Prometheans after all. If it gets the Covenant remnants under control as well we might need more reinforcements to keep them here." Kelly spoke up. It was something that they all had on their minds. Covenant was bad but Prometheans with them was worse especially with an enemy like the Exo.

"A threat we will deal with later. For now we need to get the doctors back to the Infinity." Chief said with authority. He knew what danger the Exo held but this was a rescue mission and not an assassination. Perhaps the doctors had intel on the Exo after being captured by the mechanical Forerunner. They had peeked into its mind after all.

"Codes has done it. You can go for it Chief." Fred suddenly said for Codes.

"Infinity come in, this is Sierra-117." Chief said into the communication network.

"This is captain Lasky, go ahead Chief." Lasky anxiously replied from aboard the flagship.

"Sir, we have successfully recovered the doctors but we have news on the Exo." Chief further said.

"Hang on Chief I'm adding the Arbiter and fleetmaster Rtas Vadum to this conversation. They'll probably want to hear about this." Lasky said while Roland carried out the task. Palmer was standing beside him on the bridge listening to what the Master Chief had to say.

"This the Arbiter, fleetmaster Vadum is here with me on the ground base. Go ahead Spartan." Arbiter said. The plan was for Rtas to remain in orbit with the fleet but he had decided to leave his ships in command of Lasky and the other Sangheili officers. He would aid the Arbiter in organizing an assault force before going back to his ship.

"We encountered the Exo at a Forerunner building after multiple Vex ambushed us and in one of these the pilots of our pelican died. When we arrived Prometheans attacked in large numbers but then the Exo confirmed what we suspected. Doing the same thing as the Didact it took control of the defensive AI. When he did they all surrounded us and we were in a bad spot." Chief reported. He could hear the curses of the captain and the shipmaster although the latter were in Sangheili.

"What happened then Spartan?" Arbiter asked curiously of what could have happened.

"It let us go." The Chief simply answered and was met with the shocked and confused 'what?!" from the others.

"What do you mean Chief?" Lasky asked this time. The man had to get a hold on the holographic table so he didn't fell from pure surprise and shock. Palmer had the same disbelieving look.

"It gave us the choice to fight or take the doctors and leave. True to its word no Vex or Promethean followed us." Chief explained but still wary of their surroundings.

"First the Exo kills hundreds to kidnap the doctors and escape, just to let them go?!" Lasky yelled losing his calm. The Exo had caused grief and destruction just to let the hostages go. This thing made no sense to him. It had declared war on humanity and had high valuable assets in his grasp. Why let go? Why would it do something like that?

"Yes sir, it also knew of our AI and knew it was in Fred's armor. How we don't know. If I had to give an assessment about the Exo, I'd say it's as bad as the Didact only more sadistic. It gladly explained how he would kill the doctors and us. It was disturbing and I'm sure it is insane or something like that." Chief said slightly disturbed by the, creative ideas of the Exo.

"How disturbing were the threats?" Lasky asked bracing himself for whatever it had thought of.

"There was the option of pulling doctor Glassman's spine out and using it to stab doctor Halsey." Chief replied shortly. The officers' jaws and mandibles fell open in shock. This Exo was indeed insane. A silence fell over their talk.

"That was one of few?" Rtas asked as he broke the silence first.

"Affirmative and I know he had many more ideas."

"At least the Didact wasn't so gross." Palmer muttered disgusted.

"Master Chief I'm detecting a Covenant corvette close to your location." Roland said as he suddenly barged in onto their conversation. The Spartans tensed and Linda climbed into a tree for a vantage point.

"Do you have a visual on them?" Lasky asked alarmed.

Chief waited to reply until Linda made it to the top of the tree. When she got there she used her sniper rifle to spot the Covenant ship. She saw it and along with it a lot of transports. They were almost to the outpost where they came from. She quickly reported to Chief who then answered Lasky.

"Linda said they are headed to the Forerunner building where we found the doctors and the Exo." Chief said.

"Did they contact the Covenant from there?" Arbiter asked agitated by the fact that the Covenant would have a new ally.

"We don't know about that, they might have spotted you there. From reports I know that the Covenant has scouts close to your position. If I had to guess they saw Halsey and knowing Mdama he wants payback." Palmer said with a deep frown.

"Chief, pelicans will arrive soon with marines. Aid them in your attack on the enemy. As for that corvette I'll have a MAC cannon take care of it. Just occupy them long enough so a frigate can arrive. We cannot allow the Exo to team up with the Covenant like the Didact did." Lasky ordered. The plan he had was for the forces close to the Chief to rush over and attack the Covenant. With a MAC shot the corvette would be dealt with but it would take time to position a frigate to have a clear shot. He was going to let one of the marines take a target designator along.

"Understood sir, what about the doctors?" Chief asked glancing at the unconscious scientists.

"Another pelican will pick them up and bring them back to the Infinity. Good luck Spartans, Infinity out." Lasky said before shutting the communication off. The Sangheili bid their farewell as well and soon blue team waited for their reinforcements.

They would get a shot at the Exo today after all.

…..

Onboard one of the approaching phantoms multiple Elites checked on their weaponry. Grunts readied plasma pistols and fuel rod guns. Jackals did the same with needlers, plasma pistols, carbines and beam rifles. The zealot class elite in charge of these forces held her energy sword tightly in her hand. She had already checked her equipment, two plasma rifles on her thighs and her concussion rifle on her back. She sent another prayer to her ancestors for guidance in the upcoming fight.

A jackal scout had spotted the escaped doctor Catherine Halsey some time ago. The doctor was in company of the one-eyed machines that had attacked Jul Mdama allowing the doctor to escape in the first place. With her was another scientist that had spent in captivity of Mdama before. There was also this unidentified armored demon that accompanied the scientists.

Reya 'Redam swept her gaze across the filled transport that was one of many. Their mission was to recapture the doctor and claim the Forerunner site for shipmaster Mdama. She herself knew that Mdama simply wanted revenge on humanity and did not really believe in the Forerunners to be gods. That changed when he met the Didact and became his hand. Then the Didact died or left, and once again Mdama his belief shattered. Hers did not. Her father and mother both died for the Covenant and she would make them proud by serving as well. The Covenant was still in tradition somewhat the same as in the past. Women were not exactly allowed to serve but another Sangheili that fought along her father had vouched for her. She considered the man as an uncle and was another reason why she joined the Covenant. Eventually she made zealot class thanks to her leadership and combat skills. She still believed and kept on waiting for another god to appear.

"Zealot, we are approaching the site." The pilot, a grunt, announced over the communication network.

"Any signs of hostiles?" She asked respectfully. She did not look down on the little Unggoys like others.

"There are Prometheans on the platform waiting for us." The grunt said slightly scared.

"Do they seem aggressive to us?" She inquired needing to know if they could fire or not.

"No, in fact they are all in formation. Are they welcoming us? I'll open the ramp." The grunt replied confused and did as he said.

The ramp of the transport opened up and allowed the warriors to look at what was below. Curious elites, grunts and jackals watched as well. As the grunt had said all of the Prometheans stood properly in formation at what appeared to be the landing zone. First there were the promethean soldiers who stood in two rows on each side. behind them were the taller and stronger knights that stood intimidatingly. Crawlers sat beside the soldiers as watchdogs and after nine soldiers there was the occasional soldier officer.

"Get us down there pilot." Reya ordered and felt the craft descending.

She jumped out along with her own soldiers and walked forward. She eyed the Prometheans warily and noticed that they were blue, not the typical orange. As she walked past them the soldiers snapped to full attention bringing their weapons to their chests to salute her. She then noticed the armored man at the end. He was as tall as the demons but she was one of the bigger elites even though she was female and stood at a good 8,2 inches while the man stood at 7,2 inches. That did not make her any more comfortable as the armored man gave off an aura of a warrior that could easily kill all of her troops. When she walked to him she was surprised to see the man bow slightly for her.

"Greetings warrior of Sanghelios and the Covenant. I have been waiting for your arrival." The man said in smooth and calm voice and even more shockingly in her own language. Reya looked at the stoic Prometheans once more before bowing as well.

"I greet you as well although I do not know who you are." She replied warily and saw her troops anxiously watching the Prometheans and the man. He chuckled and his helmet disappeared in a flash revealing a robotic face and shining blue eyes.

"I am Soundwave. I am an exo, a creation of the Forerunners." Soundwave said calmly surprising and shocking her along with her men.

"Are you an oracle then?" She asked bewildered. Soundwave shook his head.

"Not really. In body I am machine," He said gesturing to himself. Then he pointed a finger to his head and added "but Forerunner in mind." With that sentence all Covenant warriors stared wide-eyed at the exo. Reya couldn't believe it. She kept on staring at the exo who felt obliged to explain.

"I recently returned here after I was forced to leave a long time ago. When I came to I learned that I was from this dimension and lived on this planet. Upon my awakening I was held by the humans who thought it would be good idea to mess in my head. I was angry at them and declared war on them. I went here and took control of the Prometheans and reactivated this outpost. I was planning to meet the Covenant soon but then you came. That was somewhat the short version though." Soundwave explained calmly. Reya listened to every word and when he ordered the Prometheans to resume their duties at the outpost she knew it was true. A real Forerunner, even if it was an AI, had returned. She bowed along with the rest of the Covenant.

"My lord we are thrilled by your return. I am zealot Reya 'Redam and these are part of my unit." She said with her head still low to the ground.

"I see, there is no need to bow, you can stand up now." He replied awkwardly. His plan was going smoothly but the bowing felt somewhat wrong to him. Reluctantly she rose again and Soundwave told her men to rise as well. Confused and also reluctantly her warriors did the same.

"Now that that is out of the way I will introduce you to my companion." Soundwave said and saw Ghost floating to them with the Vex following him. The Covenant members tensed as they saw the robots that had attacked their friends not that long ago.

"My lord those are the machines that attacked us, we will defend you to our dying breath!" Reya yelled and went for her weapons followed by the Covenant troops.

"No, no wait! They are under my control. I recently kind of conquered them which allowed me to return here. They were simply defending when you met them I think." Soundwave said trying to defuse the situation and was glad to see the aliens calm down.

"My lord you conquered these machines?" Reya asked amazed by the exo that claimed to be a Forerunner.

"A story for later." Soundwave smiled at her. By now Ghost and the Vex had arrived.

"Greetings, I am Ghost. I am the companion and partner of Soundwave. By now he should have explained a few things such as the Vex." The diamond-shaped AI said happily.

"Yes of course." Reya answered with a bow.

"Now we should speak with your leader-"

"Actually it would be best to prepare for an enemy attack. The outpost intercepted a transmission between the Spartans and their flagship. They're sending an attack force and a frigate as we speak. I estimate their assault force will be here in less than half an hour and the frigate will be here in let's say forty-five minutes." Ghost interrupted.

"Why won't they just quit?" Soundwave groaned and turned back to Reya who stood at attention.

"My lord, my men and I will gladly fight for you." She said convincingly with a fist over her armor. Her forces roared in approval.

"Very well then but I'll lead the defense. Who is in command of that corvette?" Soundwave said with his mind already progressing strategies and battle plans.

"That would be general Rudo 'Vongam my lord. Should I contact him?" Reya answered standing at attention. Fighting alongside the exo would bring honor to her deceased parents and her uncle so she was excited to say the least.

"Yes, I will inform him myself. Ghost I want you to activate this outpost's automatic defense weapons. Reya I want you to position yourself and your forces behind the Prometheans. They will act as shields and the Vex will ambush the enemy when they come close. I hereby give you command of the Prometheans while I talk to your general." Soundwave ordered as the Vex followed Ghost who left for the control room. Reya nodded quickly and gave him the frequency to talk with her commanding officer.

She began ordering her troops to deploy behind the barricades that rose from the ground. She put her wraiths in the back to act as mortar support first. Splinter turrets rose from the ground as well with promethean soldiers manning them. Seeing as some of the Prometheans had taken positions that left them vulnerable she tried ordering them and was surprised the actually followed her orders with precision. Knights came up in front to act as shields and crawlers were sent out to scout for hostiles. Plasma turrets were placed as well and towers were instantly placed for jackal sniper support. Hunters were positioned at open places to make up with their increased endurance. Reya kept overseeing their positions and the men looking for any mistakes. Seeing that all was ready she ran back to Soundwave who was just done with talking to the general.

"My lord, our defensive lines have been placed. Do you wish to inspect yourself?" Reya asked with a bow.

"No need for bowing Reya and just refer to me as a fellow warrior." Soundwave answered and waved the formality away. Reya looked skeptical but followed his wishes nonetheless. "And besides, I trust your judgment. You do not look like one of the more arrogant officers." He added.

"Do we know who is leading the charge sir?" She then asked standing tall and proudly at his praise. She noticed she towered over him but did not pay attention to it.

"That is something Ghost did not tell me but I have a hunch. This outpost is able to intercept coded transmissions and even block them. We will use this to our advantage though I hope to avoid a battle." Soundwave said and walked towards the line of defense followed by Reya.

"Are you sure sir? Did the humans not wrong you?" Reya asked angrily at the thought of the humans inflicting pain on their god.

"Yes but in a life I had to leave behind I was an ally of the human race. I protected them as a guardian, it is hard to just accept that the humans here want you as a puppet." Soundwave said softly. He had not forgotten the joy he experienced with human guardians back in the other dimension. He did not forget that, but he would not forget his first impression of these humans. Greed and an air of dominance. He got this from the video feed of high command. Some of them simply wanted to protect their people but others were arrogant and greedy. They did not really object to the examination, they saw him as a soulless robot.

"I must agree that not all humans are evil, but when they won the war they demanded our submission. This applied to the Covenant but not the separatist Sangheili. My mother was killed by the humans in cold blood, an act I cannot forgive." Reya said remembering the execution of her mother at the hands of the humans.

"Then we will fight if they strike. And I am sorry for your loss." Soundwave replied determined and sympathetic.

"Soundwave I have news." Ghost said through the communication link.

"Go ahead."

"The UNSC has landed and are approaching. The frigate will arrive soon as well. What is your plan?" Ghost reported while overlooking the command center.

"Hail the approaching column and I want the watchers and crawlers to report soon." Soundwave said.

"Roger that patching you through now." Ghost murmured working on the faint signal of the marine platoon that advanced towards them. When he got a hold on them he was answered by no other than the Chief himself.

"What do you want Exo?" He asked roughly.

Reya heard this as she was allowed to overhear the conversation. Before Soundwave answered he told her about his act.

"Why hello there my favorite Spartan. Did you miss me? I was all like gosh the Chief wants to visit me after I allowed him to leave. Here I thought you would be not so foolish to come back. Let's be honest you know I have Vex, Prometheans and Covenant to defend my shiny head. Why are you coming for me? Was it an order from Lasky? In that case it must have been a task he got from Osman. " Soundwave rambled on in a tone that indicated he was not sane at all. Reya was impressed by his acting skills.

"What my orders are is not your concern." Chief interrupted harshly.

"Oh but my lovely one-one-seven it is. You must comprehend my words after all those augmentations they pumped in you no? Oh yeah, it was Cortana who was the brains of that armor while you were the puppet. Now listen my dear Spartan, I will tell you this only one time so I'll expand my lovely voice for all to hear." Soundwave said as he rambled on. Ghost expanded the communication so all of the marines could hear him.

"You can run to the hills and get the hell off my land or, you can come and I'll butcher you. I'll rip you all apart and let you eat your own guts because who doesn't deserve a last meal. So come my guests and let my army of ponies welcome you all hahahaha!" Soundwave laughed as a maniac who lost his mind. Reya was awed by how his personality could change and felt uneasy for a moment.

"Love and kisses, bye!" Soundwave said before communications were stopped. He turned around and regarded Reya who stood there nervously. "How was my performance?" He asked with a smirk.

"Very convincing, an Unggoy would be cowered to death." She said truthfully. Sangheili were supposed to be fearless but even she was uneasy by the talk that Soundwave had delivered.

"Well it was my intention to scare them. They'll think I'm a madman and I'll do crazy things while I'm actually very sane. When we're done here I'll let you read a document about the art of war, I recommend it." Soundwave said casually not bothered by the marine platoon that came for him. He inspected his pulse rifle and went to the forward line.

"Will you not stay back sir?" Reya asked as she got ready as well.

"I'm the type of man that does not stay on the sidelines. When I go to battle I will act as a sword and shield for my men." He replied with conviction. Reya nodded in respect and waited for the UNSC to arrive. Together they stood at the forward command post.

…..

"Damn that guy is nuts." A marine muttered as he shivered. Other marines shared the sentiment as they all felt uneasy and on edge.

"Get your act together. We're here to take the bastard down so suck it up." A sergeant ordered but even he was slightly pale.

Their unit consisted out of at least two hundred or more marines accompanied by a column of ten tanks and twenty warthogs. Air support would be delivered by the frigate that would come in later. Marines stayed together and watched their surroundings now with more fear for any ambushes. It was slightly dark and awoke the primal fear of darkness in the less battle-hardened soldiers. In front were the Spartans of blue team who were unaffected by the threat.

"How did the Exo manage to hack our comm network?" Kelly asked as she kept a steady pace.

"I think it was because of the outpost ma'am. Something like a communication array might have allowed them to find our network." Codes said quietly.

"Regardless they know we're here. We're going up against Vex, Covenant and Prometheans including the Exo. Honestly even with our numbers I think this is going to end badly." Fred spoke up trusting his instincts.

"We don't have a choice. These we're all the men and women we could scramble and if we let the Exo escape he might rally more aliens and robots to kill us." Linda said occasionally pointing her sniper rifle somewhere.

"Linda is right. Killing the Exo is our main objective." Chief said with finality.

"Sir we're almost there." Codes reported and sent the message to the entire platoon.

A tense silence fell over the forest. All they could hear were people marching and vehicles driving. None dared to say a single word. Marines kept their weapons aimed in front of them or to the side to protect their unit. The greenhorns were handling the situation not as good as the veterans did. They gulped and sweated as the darkness grew. Tank operators made sure to notice they didn't drive over a paralyzed rookie. The Spartans did well as they kept their calm and cautiously observed their surroundings. Thanks to the terrain they could not spread out the vehicles so they had the marines do that. The commander who was in charge of the operation sat in a warthog in the middle of the platoon. The man was a rookie as well. The only reason he was here was because no one else was available.

The silence and marching went on until a marine in the back looked to the right and was met by five red crimson eyes suddenly popping up in the darkness. The young man who only joined recently had a face morphed in horror as he screamed for alarm. His squad mates followed his gaze and saw even more red lights appear. Before an order was given the assailants unleashed a hail of deadly bolts that struck the marines. Mechanical screams echoed through the forest that carried to the Spartans who recognized the sound immediately.

"We're being attacked from behind!" A marine reported as he attracted attention and yelled for all to hear. He was silenced as an orange bolt impacted in his head and his body disintegrated.

The soldiers in front and the Spartans saw Prometheans approach them with guns blazing. Crawlers came out of nowhere and began harassing the marines as they jumped on them. Watchers came from above and shined light on the UNSC forces. Soldiers came as well but they phased and advanced slowly more intent to keep the UNSC back. Knights however were doing both objectives as some of them stayed back and forced marines into cover while others joined the crawlers and went into close range. Gunfire erupted around the entire forest. The marines and Spartans were trapped with Vex coming from the back and Prometheans in the front.

"Kelly and Fred, you two will take down the Prometheans in close range. Linda you will take down priority targets such as knights and soldier officers. I'll go back and deal with the Vex." Chief ordered and ran back to end of the column. As he ran he got three acknowledgement lights of his teammates.

"Master Chief this is commander Ling, what is going on? I'm getting reports of one-eyed machines at our back." The commander said through the comm channel with slight panic in his voice.

"Sir, we are being attacked by the Prometheans in front of us and by the Vex in our back. I am headed to the back now to deal with them." Chief responded curtly running past marines that were placing mortars.

"Damn it, alright go ahead then. I'll move the tanks up so we can push through the Promethean lines. With them gone we can escape the Vex." The commander informed.

"Sir is that wise? If we deal with the Prometheans alone we will run into the Covenant. Then we'll still be attacked from two sides." Chief argued as he frowned.

"These are my orders Spartan and I want you to follow them." The commander said harshly.

The Chief kept running and ran into a disorganized squad since their officer was down. She had taken a shot from a hobgoblin to the chest and died instantly. He took command and had the marines follow him. He encountered a pair of goblins that had just killed another marine. He and the squad opened fire in the machines. They were taken by surprise and were easily eliminated. A marine yelled to warn them but was then shot down by a group of goblins that had phased behind them. The Chief threw a grenade and another marine thought apparently the same. The grenades went off and reduced the group to only four goblins. The goblins still managed to take down another marine before they succumbed. The squad was down to only five marines.

"Chief, they have broken through our lines and have cut off two of our squads!" A lieutenant reported when they got to the back. Machine guns had been placed and makeshift cover was made. This was all they had to protect themselves from the waves of Vex that continued to storm their position. Goblins and hobgoblins were advancing intent on ending their lives. The Chief had yet to see minotaurs but he kept an eye out for them.

"What kind of opposition?" He quickly asked as he reloaded his assault rifle.

"Mostly cone-heads but a few of those sunshines as well." A private said while unloading his DMR into the goblins. The marines had already invented new names to refer to the Vex it seemed.

"I'll take care of it." The Chief said with a nod and grabbed a nearby grenade launcher.

He fired one of the grenades that landed close to the Vex and did so a few times. When he ran out of ammo he let the grenades detonate. Multiple explosions boomed and fire illuminated the war-torn forest. Vex parts flew around and a goblin's head fell right in front of the Lieutenant and private. Seeing this as their chance they retaliated and pushed the Vex back. The Chief punched a goblin away that tried to melee him and delivered a kick to a downed hobgoblin. Both machines were dead thanks to the heavy strikes of both augmented human and MJOLNIR suit strength. The Vex realized they were losing ground and sent a minotaur to deal with them.

The large Vex unit pummeled an unfortunate marine as it phased around. Following it were four goblins each equipped with a torch hammer. They simultaneously unleashed the purple explosive shots and decimated one of stationary machine guns along with the heavy gunner who operated it. The minotaur fired its twin slap rifles as it gunned down the marines. The Chief ran up to the large Vex from behind and tried shoulder charge it but he was evaded as the minotaur phased away. The Chief stopped and saw two purple projectiles headed for him. At the last second he dodged but took damage. The goblins who were responsible phased close to him and aimed their cannons. The Chief was ready to defend himself but the goblins were ripped apart by the machine gun of a warthog. The vehicle cleared a path to the Chief but just then it was hit by the remaining two heavily armed goblins. The burning wreckage crashed against a tree and gave light to the darkness.

"Chief, we need to take down those two cone-heads and that large one now!" The Lieutenant yelled over the firefight. Another pair of marines were flung into the air by a torch hammer.

"Get your men to fall back. I'll take down those two but try to take the big one down with a rocket launcher or something else. Do not get close to them." The Chief said. How he wished that Cortana was here to do the talking but he could not think about that now.

"You heard the Chief, fall back and get me a rocket to shoot at that big ugly robot!" The Lieutenant ordered loudly for all to hear. A chorus of 'yes sir' came and soon the marines fell back.

The goblins were hot on their trail and the Chief stayed behind to deal with them. Grabbing the battle rifle of a fallen marine he jumped over a log and started eliminating the goblins. A pair of hobgoblins were positioning themselves to tear down the retreating marine corps. He grabbed their tails and flung the heavy machines away with all the strength he had. The hobgoblins fell down in a haze and were left with a frag grenade. The Chief finally got to the goblins that kept shelling the UNSC forces. Unloading the rest of his ammo clip he killed one but then the other tried to attack in close quarters. The Chief spun around with the grace of a ballerina and smashed his rifle into the goblin shattering its mind core. With the white stuff all splattered over the ground the goblin slowly slumped to the ground with its red eye losing its glow.

The Chief heard a loud bang and saw that the minotaur was hit by a rocket and lost its left arm. Angrily it phased right into the ranks of the marines and stomped the ground with all its weight. The shockwave threw corpsmen on the ground or staggered them. The closest ones had their bones broken because of it. With a mighty swing two marines that were shooting it flew in the air and collapsed on the trees. The machine went as far as to ram a warthog that rolled over with dents and shattered glass. The minotaur roared but then a young marine jumped on the Vex from behind. The minotaur did not notice and was too late as the young man placed an attachable grenade beneath its head. He jumped off on the last second as the explosive went off. The fiery eruption damaged both the head and the insides of the minotaur. With a faint mechanical whine it fell over on the warthog that it had destroyed.

"Damn William, I am not going to mess with you again." A marine said as they all watched the disintegrating machine. The Chief walked up and remembered the advice that Cortana had given him a long time ago. He patted the young man on the shoulder and complimented him before sprinting off to the rest of the platoon.

With the Vex halting their attack they could focus on the Prometheans now. At least he hoped the Vex stopped. They did not pursue so they could assume their numbers were depleted. But somehow the Chief knew numbers were not a problem for the Vex. Not at all.

He ran further through their position and encountered many dead or wounded marines. Getting to the Exo would be a challenge alone. He continued on but was called over. He turned and saw the commander at his warthog conversing with other officers. He approached and saluted.

"You called for me sir." The Chief said, it was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes Chief, I need you to get back to the front and aid our tanks along with the rest of our forces there. With no support from the men in the back they have been quite exhausted. These Prometheans are smart. Hit and run tactics and other strategies. I think someone is giving them orders. At this rate we'll need two frigates to stand a chance." The commander reported gravely.

"Sir it must be the Exo or the Covenant. It seems more logically that the Covenant is giving orders. These hit and run tactics are what the Covenant uses and besides, the Exo is a madman." A captain spoke up. The Chief had to agree with the logic of the man but his gut told him something was not correct. Nevertheless he had to get to the front fast and the frigate had to arrive soon as well.

"We'll discuss this later. For now Chief you need to get down there and break through those Prometheans before they can ambush us again." The commander ordered curtly. The Chief saluted and nodded before he sprinted off again.

Passing wounded or dead marines again he could make out the form of tanks in the darkness. Whoever was the tank column leader was smart enough to position behind cover. A warthog drove by with its machine gun firing into the distance. He passed the mortars that kept Prometheans at bay and found Fred with a DMR taking down a watcher. Chief ran through the line of fire and crouched behind Fred.

"Situation?" He asked the Spartan II.

"We got them almost. The real trouble we get is from a soldier officer that has been using hit and run tactics. We never know when it shows up and when we do we're too late to take it down. Watchers have been blocking us as well with their support. Last problem are soldiers with incineration cannons that can take down the tanks. We've already lost two of them. Solve these three problems and our tanks will be able to advance as well." Fred reported while picking another watcher as target.

"I'll take care of the officer, you keep eliminating those watchers, Linda and Kelly will take down the heavy support. Have Codes tell them." Chief ordered before he went to a better vantage point.

And so blue team split up, each having a certain objective. Fred rounded up some sharpshooters and dealt with the horde of watchers easily. They all disintegrated and with them the support that the Prometheans got. Grenades could be thrown without worries and the Prometheans felt that. Kelly and Linda worked together to take down the heavily armed Prometheans. Their cannons were useless since Kelly moved too fast for them and got too close so she could take them down with her shotgun. Linda kept her trained eyes on Kelly and supported her in any way she could. Soon all of the heavy weaponry that the Prometheans had brought were in the dirt. Tanks and warthogs moved freely out but there was still the officer who harassed them.

The Chief tracked the Promethean down and charged for it. Its bodyguards did all they could to hold the Spartan back but were no match. The officer send two knights to deal with the Chief. After only thirty seconds the knights were slowly disintegrating. The officer then attacked the Chief with its splinter turret. The heavy shots managed to keep the Chief away for some time but when he got close they engaged in a fist fight. The officer valiantly put up a fight but when the Chief just smashed its head it lost.

With the advantage gone the Prometheans retreated. Marines cheered and rested as all enemies were forced back. Wounded were treated and the dead were gathered. The tanks and warthogs formed a defensive perimeter and marines that could patrolled the area. Blue team reunited and went to the commander.

"Sir, blue team reporting in." The Chief said as he and the other Spartans saluted.

"At ease. Thank you for your work Spartans, without it we would have had even more casualties. But we're not out of the forest yet and we have already lost half our forces to the wrath of those machines. As it is we need to be very careful about what we do now. The frigate made a call that it's above us right now and will attack when we charge. I want blue team to escort our tanks. One of them has lost its operators so you can take it." The exhausted commander explained.

"Yes sir." Chief replied simply before they all headed to their assigned tank.

…..

Reya watched in awe at the footage that Ghost brought up. As a security system there were hidden cameras in the forest for monitoring. Her troops watched along on other screens at the destruction that raged on in the forest. Humans fell as the Vex and Prometheans ambushed and slaughtered them. The tactical display that Soundwave had brought up inspired her. Having the Prometheans do different tasks to hold the enemy back and the Vex ambush from behind and cutting squads off that way.

"Dammit, more survived than I wanted. I still have more plans in reserve though so we should be fine. That frigate will get quite the surprise." Soundwave muttered as he observed the retreating Vex and Prometheans. He had given the order to pull back and prepare for the second ambush.

"How will you defeat them now sir?" Reya asked as she dutifully stood at his right side. They were at a forward command post to oversee their troops.

"I scanned communications during the battle and found out who their leader is. Xiao Ling, a commander who got promoted recently. He'll send out the tanks first to clear the way and my gut says the Spartans will lead that charge. Promethean knights and minotaurs are powerful but even they don't really stand much of a chance against a tank. Are the wraiths and banshees ready?" Soundwave spoke up and looked at the zealot.

"They're all set sir. But if I may ask why not just send the wraiths to intercept those tanks?" Reya said thoughtful. The wraiths were just placed on the facility's domain and would be used as mortars. The banshees were to leave at their call and bombard the enemy.

"The thing about the wraith is that even while it is very strong, its main weapon is mortar-based while the human tank can shoot in a straight line. This is an advantage that the UNSC has used so far. We'll have lower-class Vex and Prometheans hold the tanks up and identify targets. When they do that the wraiths and banshees will bombard them. They can't hit the wraiths and the banshees will be obscured by the trees. We have eyes on the ground who will inform them." Soundwave explained while seeing that the tanks moved up. In tow were marines and warthogs.

"I see." Reya answered. It was simple when you thought about it but he had a point. She had seen what a tank could do against their own and it was far from pretty.

"They have arrived in the designated area. Sending our forces now. Watchers will spot targets and sent the coordinates." Ghost informed as he was busy in the command center to direct the mechanical forces.

"Deploy a third of our decoys for now. Crawlers are to prioritize the marines on foot. Send the coordinates to the wraiths. The frigate will attack soon so activate the automatic defenses of this outpost and have them on standby. Give me a situation report as soon as possible." Soundwave ordered to Ghost and the two grunts that were operating the command center.

"Coordinates received and patching through now." One of the grunts said. Only a few moments later the wraiths launched their first shots.

Reya saw the large blue plasma illuminate the dark sky. It had a certain beauty to it, but the humans would see it differently of course. She heard Soundwave give the order for the banshees to depart and then the aircraft ascended as well. The grunt who was in charge of communications did well and calmly. Soundwave had given both Unggoys some encouraging words and was gentle and kind with them. It surprised Reya how determined the grunts were now. She actually saw grunts who didn't look like cowards at all. Reports came in and astoundingly they had successfully destroyed three tanks by now along with quite the marines killed in action as well.

"First mortar attack was a success sir." The left grunt, Timo, said.

"Banshees closing in, they will attack within one minute." The other one, Tipo, said. They were brothers not only in arms and were twins.

"Frigate is coming, they're going to deploy ODSTs according to communication chatter. Their landing just outside the base." Ghost informed.

"Have the Watchers spot new targets and fire with the wraiths again as soon as possible. Banshees are to split up in two separate groups. One will keep attacking their armor while the other will go intercept those drop pods. After that the second group will keep attacking the ODSTs. Have Covenant troops attack the shock troopers . Send a message to the general to board that frigate. Once boarding parties are inside they are to activate the signal I sent for Vex reinforcements. Hurry up people." Soundwave ordered with authority. The way he carried himself gave the look of someone who had commanded before.

Timo and Tipo typed furiously on their consoles to send messages and send coordinates for strikes. Ghost began placing more Vex since he had access to the Vex network. Reya ran to her troops who were on standby and sent them to their designated area. Soundwave oversaw everything with a critical eye.

Just as ordered another bombardment hit the tank column causing more damage. True to his words the UNSC had difficulty finding the banshees. The other group of banshees broke off and went to the drop pods that fell through the sky. Plasma fire surrounded the pods and a number never made it to the ground. The automatic defenses helped and targeted the weapon systems of the frigate that tried getting into bombard position. They were caught off guard when the covenant corvette came from above and launched drop pods as well along with boarding parties. The ODSTs on the ground were instantly attacked. Promethean turrets and soldiers joined the fray and pushed the elite human soldiers back into the forest. Plasma turrets were quickly placed and grunts began gunning down the surprised troopers. All of them were encouraged by their new leader and fought vigorously to repel the invaders.

In the forest blue team barely managed to advance as they had to evade the incoming plasma mortar. The Prometheans that surrounded them didn't help either. Another tank gave out when struck by fuel blasts from banshees. With this amount of resistance they needed support from the marines. Unfortunately the crawlers drove the squads apart and were then dispatched by the promethean soldiers. Screams echoed from the air attracting the attention of the Spartans. They saw a marine flying through the air carried by two harpies. The Vex had grabbed the marine with their tentacle-like cables. They released the man and he fell to his death. More harpies came in and tried grabbing victims. Another warthog bit the dust when the mortar fire hit it. This was turning out to be a slaughter and the Spartans knew it.

Onboard of the frigate the hangar was overwhelmed by the Covenant. They had spread throughout the ship but met strong resistance. The SpecOps leader decided now was the time to activate the signal. When he did black fog appeared in the hangar and where the other main teams were. The fog disappeared leaving Vex with weapons aimed at the humans. They opened fire on the startled and vastly outnumbered marines. They stood no chance and had to retreat. On the bridge the captain frantically tried to reorganize but then an explosion destroyed the door. The two ODSTs that stood guard were crawling out of the smoke but then one got blasted in the head and the other was impaled by an energy sword. The smoke drifted away revealing goblins and elites who immediately gunned the helpless crew down. An elite went to the main console and opened a link for Ghost. The little light quickly went to work and took the resident AI down before assuming control of the ship.

Back down in the forest the Spartans had finally eliminated the watchers and other Prometheans were retreating. The plasma barrage was inaccurate now but kept coming nonetheless. Blue team had to abandon their burning tank and were glad they did since not much more later the vehicle exploded.

"Chief come in, I'm issuing a general retreat. The frigate hasn't been responding to our calls and the survivors are coming to our position. The ODST group is almost completely eradicated. No known survivors I'm afraid." The commander said with a hopeless voice. All around them were defeated marines who had to cling to life.

"Affirmative sir, we'll cover the retreat." The Chief said. He hated losing and he had to admit that the Exo had defeated them. The Spartans could take on many but even they would not be able to against so many. Especially with such an enemy tactician. They had underestimated the Exo because of his insanity but know they knew. The Exo had played them and they fell for it. With a last glance at the carnage the Chief turned around and followed the defeated UNSC forces.

…..

"Should we not follow sir?" Reya asked as they looked at the retreating humans from their command post.

"No, going after them would stretch our forces thin and I will not be able to send more Vex nor any Prometheans. Our covenant forces have minimal losses but that cannot be said for the Vex and Prometheans. I am too exhausted to summon more Vex and Prometheans are not limitless. For now we will enjoy this victory and plan our next move. But first I will meet the general and shipmaster Jul Mdama." Soundwave replied thoughtfully.

"The phantom is ready depart sir." Tipo reported as he and his brother saluted. Soundwave smiled down at the grunts and nodded.

"Good work you two. Come, accompany us." Soundwave said kindly shocking the grunts and Reya. The grunts almost exploded in excitement but kept it well contained. They did ran after him enthusiastically causing Soundwave to chuckle.

"So tell me about this general. Does he treat his forces well?" Soundwave asked Reya as they strolled to the phantom in no hurry. Ghost would leave the outpost in the hands of a promethean AI. He would then go to the frigate and pilot it. By now it was completely secured and under their control.

"Yes sir, he treats everyone well. He is a good leader and just like you he does not look down on anyone such as the Unggoy. I would follow him in battle without hesitation." Reya answered with conviction and admiration.

"You speak highly of him. Is he someone important to you?" Soundwave then asked interested.

"He is my uncle as well. The only real family I have left." Reya replied.

"Ah, sorry. A little bit insensitive on my part. I apologize." Soundwave said gently. Reya and the grunts were surprised to see their god apologize so easily to them. He was very different than the Didact.

"It is alright sir. He might be my uncle but we stay professional at all times." Reya said before they entered the transport. Its ramps closed and soared through the sky towards the corvette.

…..

The Chief was not in a good mood, not at all. Many of the surviving marines were wounded, some critically, and a lot of the medics who had set up a field infirmary were attacked by the Vex. He had to give it to them, the Vex did put many out of their suffering, they left none alive. Out of all the battles he had participated this one certainly came into his worst. They had been caught up in two ambushes and their support in the air was probably destroyed. The Exo was not a madman, it was a tactician. They had been fooled and paid the price for it. The commander was walking after he had given his warthog to carry the wounded. Morale was at point zero.

He looked at his own team and frowned. They had not noticed thanks to the adrenaline but Fred had a wound at his shoulder, Kelly had numerous scratches and some of them had bled a lot. Linda was simply bruised and he himself got lucky. The Chief pitied the ODSTs that were send to their deaths. The Exo had a well of information on how the UNSC worked and it did not hesitate to use it to its advantage. The Chief was pulled out of his thoughts when the commander called for him.

"Yes sir?" He asked skipping the whole 'reporting for duty' stuff. He was not in the mood.

"We've finally reestablished communication with command. Thought you might want to join the conversation." The commander said not caring for protocol either. The technician did his magic and soon the voice of captain Thomas Lasky was heard.

"Finally a connection! Commander Ling can you hear me?" Lasky asked worried.

"I'm here sir, though I can't say the same for many of my men." The commander answered tiredly.

"What happened?" Lasky asked immediately. This time the Chief spoke up.

"They ambushed us before we got there sir. They used the darkness and the ability to teleport to overwhelm us. The Vex came from behind and cut squads off from the main group, they picked them off one by one, and they used heavy weaponry along with guerilla tactics. From the front came Prometheans with watchers as support, crawlers to disorganize our forces, heavy weaponry for our armor and an officer with hit and run tactics to throw us off balance. A second ambush came but then they used spotters to target our position and called in wraith mortar support along with banshees. They used the range of those tanks and the foliage of the trees to make sure we couldn't hit them." The Chief summarized to paint a picture of the carnage that happened. Lasky understood as he muttered a prayer for those lost.

"From what the surviving ODSTs told me they were attacked in the sky and on the ground instantly. They knew were they would go. From what one told me the Covenant used drop pods and boarding parties to attack the frigate. From what I've seen I think they brought Vex or Prometheans along to maybe hijack the frigate. How they assumed control even with the AI in place I do not know." The commander added. The man did a fine job in the end to keep his men alive even if they were not able to complete their objective.

"Must have been the AI that was in the Infinity." Palmer brought up. She was standing at Lasky his side with a hand on his shoulder. The man had to deal with the slaughter in space and now on the ground.

"We weren't even able to reach the enemy nor could the ODSTs sir. We thought the Exo was a madman but I believe he fooled us into believing that. These were only tactics that the Exo could have come up with. Even if it does have an insane mind it is still a tactician who achieves victory." Chief said convinced that he was right. The Exo had fooled them and there was no doubt in that.

"How many are left?" Lasky asked softly dreading the answer but he had to ask. He had to know how many of their comrades they had lost.

"Sir, we have only a seventh left of our troops and only two tanks along with three warthogs left. And that is only the column. From the forty ODSTs that dropped only five made it back to us. The rest is either dead or captured just like the men and women on that frigate." Commander Ling said faltering once in his report. To have lost so many and not even reaching their objective was crippling to not only morale but also to their combat strength.

"I see." Is all that Lasky said before he slumped into the captain's chair. Palmer threw silent curses at the Covenant, Prometheans, Vex and especially the Exo.

"I'll have pelicans from our forward base pick you all up." Palmer eventually said.

"That would be much appreciated ma'am." Chief said as he too felt a little depressed that they had failed entirely. Only more lives were lost and who knows what the Exo was planning with that frigate.

…..

"How about we use the frigate to ram into a ship and let it explode with a lot of explosives in it." Soundwave offered as Ghost floated beside him while he walked through the hallway that led to the bridge. The small AI attracted attention but so did Soundwave. Many bowed for them and every time Soundwave greeted them friendly. There was even a grunt who began to cry when he gave the small alien attention. Soundwave had a pretty good idea about how the 'lesser' races were treated and he was intent on changing that.

"Hmm that could work indeed. There are a lot of possibilities. I conversed with the AI on board and managed to 'persuade' it into following us instead of the UNSC." Ghost replied while taking in the architecture of the corvette.

Behind them Reya walked followed by Timo and Tipo. Soundwave had told her she could walk beside him but she refused. She had a lot of respect for his leading skills and had proved himself so far to be a god of the Covenant.

"We're here." She announced as they came to a large door that led to the bridge.

The guards at the door opened up and kneeled as Soundwave passed. On the bride all crewmembers stood at attention and kneeled when he passed them. He made sure to look at everyone and also nod at them. At the end of the row of kneeling covenant stood the general dressed in his golden armor. The general kneeled as well before Soundwave.

"Welcome oh great one. I am Rudo 'Vongam of the Covenant. It is an honor to have you here." The general said humbly.

"Thank you for the welcoming general. I assure you that kneeling and bowing before me is not necessary. You can all rise now." Soundwave said. He appreciated the gesture but all of this kneeling and bowing made him slightly uncomfortable. The general's eyes widened in shock before he rose again. The rest of the crew did so as well even if they hesitated. They went back to their stations leaving the elites and the exo to talk.

"Now then general, I was hoping that while we set course for your base so I can meet the rest of the leadership I could perhaps talk with you?" Soundwave asked. He knew the elite would not refuse but still asked.

"Of course holy one, we can do that in my quarters. Your escorts can follow." The general replied before they strolled out of the bridge.

The corvette flew away followed by the captured UNSC frigate. There was a lot to talk about.

 **And there we go with chapter two. If you ask yourself why the battle was short in the end it is because I thought it would be too long otherwise. At least that's what I think. I hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

The mood on the base, designated as Fox base, was somber. Marines and Sangheili warriors watched anxiously at the pelicans that came back from the failed assault. The arbiter himself stood close to the landing platforms clicking his mandibles in deep thought. He knew that many had died but that was not what angered him for the main part. It was the fact that the Covenant would once again spread their lies that they had inherited from the false prophets. He was not there when the Didact had shown up since he had to bring order to his home planet but he was grateful the evil Forerunner couldn't rally more Covenant loyalists. He looked up and saw that the pelicans had landed.

Many personnel of Fox base had gathered to see if any friends made it out. As the wounded soldiers exited their transports some of the gathered ran up to them. Arbiter watched grimly as indeed not many had returned. Close to him a marine began to cry as he stood close to a body bag. It was open enough to show the face of a woman in her twenties. The arbiter made a silent prayer for them. It was always rough to see beloved ones dead. He noticed Chief walking off the ramp followed by his team. Thel went to his friend to check up on him.

"Greetings Spartan, I assume this Exo was a formidable foe?" He asked the armored soldier.

"Yes, he caught us by surprise but not next time." The Chief answered clutching his rifle. The arbiter nodded at his comrade.

"We will avenge those who have fallen. They died with honor." Thel said as he placed a hand on the Chief's arm. The Chief nodded back and arbiter motioned for him and his team to follow.

"I know that you have just come back from a battle but I'm afraid you will have to wait just a little bit longer before you can rest. Rtas and I have convened with your superiors and we came up with a battle plan. Tomorrow we will attack the Covenant's main camp." Arbiter informed as the group of five walked to the large building in the center of the camp.

"We found their camp?" Fred asked while flexing his hand to work away tension.

"Yes, it took some time but we finally found it. It is situated in a jungle, the scouts found the location while following a transport." Thel replied as he glanced at Fred over his broad shoulders.

"Do we know what kind of defenses they have?" Kelly asked this time.

"We know about a few but the rocky terrain concealed a part of their camp so they could have more. In fact, their location is concealed by a stealth field." Arbiter replied frowning at the lack of info.

They stepped inside the building while being saluted by the guards. Inside they encountered elites and humans talking with each other. They walked through a door guarded by an elite and a marine. Chief spotted commander Palmer conversing with the leader of team Osiris, Spartan Locke. The rest of the fireteam stood in a corner talking with a pair of SpecOps elites. There were also a bunch of officers both human and sangheili. The room fell silent when the rest of blue team walked through the door. Palmer nodded to the Spartan IIs.

"Welcome back blue team. I hope the ride was without problems?" Palmer asked.

"Yes ma'am." The Chief said as he saluted.

"Good, now we can begin the mission briefing." Palmer said. She pressed a button on the table in the middle of the room and soon the images of Lasky and Rtas appeared.

"Everyone's here, good. Now I want you all to listen very good because we'll go over the plan to attack the Covenant's main base of operations and drive them off the planet. Arbiter if you would." Lasky said. Arbiter nodded and typed on the table showing an image of the enemy base.

"As you can see the Covenant has put up walls and towers to keep us out. They are positioned against this mountain and have a vehicle depot close to it. The plan is to sneak Spartans and Sangheili SpecOps inside before dawn to sabotage the vehicles, especially this scarab. Other targets will be the three anti-air emplacements and the stealth generator. When the bombs are placed they will detonate when our main force attacks. The Covenant will be confused but not for long. Use this as an opportunity to kill as many enemy soldiers as possible, preferably the leadership." Arbiter spoke up as he showed the targets.

"Fireteam Osiris will take out those AA-guns, blue team will blow up the vehicle depot and the elite SpecOps will eliminate the stealth generator." Lasky said as he assigned the teams their objectives.

"Sir, what about the Exo? It is most likely that it went to that base." The Chief spoke up concerned.

"Ah yes, you make a good point Chief. If the Exo is at the base, we'll still keep on attacking. I'm sending two frigates this time with plenty of air support. That is all I can spare though thanks to the stunt that the Exo pulled off." Lasky answered with a frown.

"I will send three corvettes to assist as well. It is most likely that the enemy fleet will respond and send their own ships so I will monitor them. If necessary, I'll engage them." Rtas spoke up.

"Master Chief since you and the others of blue team have encountered the Vex you will have more information on them?" Lasky inquired.

"Yes sir. We know that they have the ability to teleport albeit short distances when in combat. They mostly do it to evade incoming fire. The big ones are equipped with either a cannon or two of their rifles. In addition, they have some sort of shield that is very resistant. When a marine fired his rocket launcher it took two rockets to finally take it down. It lost an arm but was still functional and went on a rampage. They are the most dangerous. The ones with tails can become invulnerable for a time but won't be able to retaliate then. There are smaller triangular Vex that can fly called harpies. They used cables to catch marines and drop them from the sky." Chief reported playing the fight with the Vex in his head.

"Interesting abilities. It is too bad we don't know more about them." Rtas mused.

"I think I can assist you." Halsey said as she entered the room followed by Glassman.

"Doctor Halsey and doctor Glassman. It is good to see you have recovered." Lasky said respectfully.

"All we have left is a simple headache, don't worry." Glassman assured the captain.

"You can help us with the Vex?" Arbiter questioned the creator of the Spartan IIs.

"Yes I can. Doctor Glassman and I suffer memory loss. How this happened we do not know but it might be connected to our headaches. I can remember bits of information about the Vex but honestly I do not know if all of it is correct." Halsey answered as she connected her datapad to the holographic table.

"If you think so then how can we trust it?" Palmer asked sourly. It was not simply the information she didn't trust; it was rather the source.

"Most of it is illogical to us, but logical to the Vex." Halsey clarified though Palmer was only warier.

"Go ahead doctor." Arbiter interjected. With a nod Halsey brought up the models of all types of the Vex.

"They are called goblins, hobgoblins, harpies, minotaurs and hydras." Halsey said as she pointed at each Vex. Buck whistled at the sight of the hydra.

"I am glad we didn't have to face one of those." He whispered to Tanaka who nodded in agreement.

"The weapons used by the Vex are slap rifles, line rifles and torch hammers. Both slap rifles and line rifles use the same energy as the Prometheans namely some sort of 'solar energy'. The torch hammer and their grenades however are powered by 'void energy'. The solar energy consists of heat while the void energy seems to be connected to space and matter. The harpies their weapons are build-in slap rifles and the hydras use two cannons that are akin to torch hammers." Halsey further explained.

"This seems to be correct sir." The Chief spoke up. Lasky stared at the Vex types in deep thought.

"So they got this tech from the Forerunners?" Arbiter asked also in deep thought. Glassman answered this time.

"Actually no. As much of a surprise it is, we have reason to believe the Forerunner actually got the idea from the Vex." The man answered. Many in the room were shocked.

"Not to barge in to your conversation but from what we heard the Forerunners are practically the tech gods. So why is it not tech from the Forerunners?" A squad leader asked.

"Well you see, from the info we remember the Vex are more complex than we know, than the Forerunners themselves knew. You must not forget the purpose of this planet. This planet was an archeological site that the Forerunners found. They researched the Vex and tried to understand them. The solar energy weapons that the Vex used must have been an inspiration for them." Glassman tried to explain.

"In fact there is more to it. Most of us know of the Didact and his composer. It turned material into data. Well the Vex are as we know fighters, but astonishing that is not their main purpose. They are able to do the same by building constructions using nothing more but data." Halsey added gaining more confused stares.

"For example: from a tactical perspective, the slap rifle is a Vex directed-energy weapon that fills their analog of the light infantry role. From an engineering perspective it's something much more interesting: a terminal. The slap rifle receives a bolt of solar energy from somewhere or even somewhen else and it points it at a target. The terminal's flexibility is impressive. In non-combat conditions, the slap rifle seems like it might serve as a viable field transmitter, construction tool, navigational beacon, network repeater, or any of a number of other utility functions. At least that is what we know and for a reminder it could be incorrect." Glassman clarified.

"These Vex are more complex than we thought then." Arbiter sighed.

"Well we now know at least more of them. It is late now and we need to be rested for the attack, dismissed." Lasky said and soon the room emptied. Lasky, arbiter and Rtas stayed to talk about important things for a while but the Spartans left, grabbed new supplies, entered a pelican and got some well-deserved rest.

…..

It was funny how alive an exo could be. Exos could go on without rest. They didn't need to plug themselves in since they generated power on their own. They could shut down to recharge faster if needed and Soundwave was tempted to do so. At the moment he was entering the command center of the Covenant main base along with other officers. After all of the recent events some recharge would be very much appreciated. He looked around and saw a large table in the center with many of the officers bowing. Jul Mdama came to him and kneeled.

"My lord, I speak for all of us when I say that we are honored to have you here." Jul said respectfully. One of the elites snorted. The elite looked arrogant, Soundwave saw it in his stance and the way he acted.

"How do we know he is a true Forerunner? He is but a droid!" An elite yelled. Soundwave narrowed his optics at the elite that had spoken up. The elite glared at him and tension rose drastically.

"I can understand your concerns but for your information I am an exo, not a droid." Soundwave snarled. He hated it when people called him a droid. It was discrimination to call an exo that but in the last city it happened often. Exos were sometimes frowned upon and scrutinized.

"Silence 'Krama! What you speak is heresy!" Another elite retorted. This one seemed to be a naval officer. The elite was not young but not old either. He didn't have that aura of a veteran.

"Both of you be quiet!" Jul roared. Both elites silenced at the shipmaster's words. "I apologize my lord. It is hard to believe that you are Forerunner so I wanted to propose a test. From what I have heard I believe you to be one of the gods but understand our doubt. Especially the ones who mention this in the most obnoxious way." He said and glared at 'Krama who squirmed under the glare.

"And what would this test be?" Soundwave asked intrigued. He had a good guess on what it was.

"Please follow." Jul said as everyone went through another door.

They all walked in silence through the hall and exited the building. As they walked through the base Soundwave saw many covenant members stare in awe at him. The four Precursor goblins that accompanied helped with that as they followed faithfully. Atheon had expressed his concerns about the need of creating Vex structures so they could bring more of the Vex into this dimension. Another concern was their safety so he had tasked the Precursors to protect the new time's conflux.

Soundwave watched amazed at the vehicles that were lined up in the vehicle depot when they passed it. Especially the scarab caught his attention. It was well-maintained and looked as deadly as it was. Ghost expressed his interest in the large machine as well by quickly taking a few scans. Ghost was going to have a field trip with all this data.

They went further to the mountainside and stopped when they arrived. A metal door was placed in the mountain and runes were carved into them. The elites who stood guard bowed and opened the ancient door. They entered and went on. They passed various pillars that kept the ceiling stable and decorated the temple. Soundwave was impressed when they came to a large room with a pedestal in the middle.

"This is a lock to the temple that we are in at the moment. From what I gathered this is the main base on the planet. That pedestal is the way to open the doors but only a true Forerunner could access it. This is the test, if you open the temple doors we will fully acknowledge your claim to be Forerunner." Jul explained as he then motioned to the gathered group. All high ranking officers were present. Some jackals, grunts and even brutes were present. Reya, Rudo, Tipo and Timo were also present.

Slowly Soundwave went to the pedestal and placed his hand on it. With much concentration he focused on opening the doors. At first nothing happened but then the pedestal began to glow a blue color. The blue light was also being emanated by Soundwave. The Covenant watched in awe and many began to kneel. The light began to expand as runes and lines on the walls, ground and ceiling glowed. A rumble echoed through the mountain and the ground began to shake slightly. The walls shifted showing a large cave. It was filled to the brim with Forerunner structures. Towers reached up to the top of the ceiling. When Soundwave was done a whole Forerunner base was uncovered. He turned around to see everyone kneeling before him, even those who had doubted him.

"Does anyone else doubt that I am Forerunner?" He casually asked. None said a word.

"Oh joy! My creator has returned!" A happy voice rang through the entrance to the base. All looked up and saw sentinels filling the room. Then came the monitor.

"A monitor." Soundwave said as he recognized the construct.

"Greetings I am 666-Diablo and I am the monitor of all installations of Archeologis. My task is to oversee the planet's collected data about the Vex and other interests. I do this by commanding the planet's center terminal. It is simply wonderful to see that my creator has returned." Diablo rambled on as he looked at the Covenant.

"So this is the main center of the planet? Then the master terminal is here. Diablo would you please bring me to it?" Soundwave asked the monitor that floated happily.

"Why of course, I am to help the second in command of the Forerunner military. Isn't that right vice-supreme commander Darker-than-black-hole?" Diablo asked confused. Soundwave was shocked to hear his previous name even if it was that of the exo prime. Ghost appeared and chuckled.

"Darker-than-black-hole? I didn't know you were so evil." Ghost joked. Soundwave sighed at the mocking of his companion. He had to admit that the name was silly though.

"Oh my, may I ask what you are? You appear to be similar to me." Diablo said intrigued.

"A story for later, bring me to the master terminal." Soundwave ordered and then turned back to the Covenant that still kneeled. "I am going in and I'll stay here for some time. I want you all to resume your tasks and bring forces here inside. Zealot Reya and her forces will accompany me." He ordered and was satisfied to see that they followed his commands.

He waited for some time standing there like a statue and it appeared as if he was thinking about something. In reality he was actually in recharge and was oblivious to the world. Ghost would wake him when Reya and her troops came. A funny thing was that even an exo could dream. Soundwave now dreamed of the last city. He saw the vanguard in their hall, Shaxx yelling at a rookie with his quartermaster trying to calm the man down, the weapon smith giving out the orders of new weapons, Holiday fixing a sparrow and the factions going about their tasks. Strangely he could not remember more. He could not remember anything about Mars, Venus, the moon or earth. He remembered the enemies such as the Hive but slowly his most personal memories were being locked away. It was as if his subconscious was doing this to protect his mind. The last thing he saw before he woke up was the Traveler in all his glory. A beacon of hope and wonder.

"Wake up guardian." Came the call of Ghost who was in the process of waking his companion up. Behind his helmet Soundwave opened his mechanical eyes and was not surprised to see Ghost floating in front of him. Diablo was doing the same and Reya was looking at him almost nervously.

"We're ready?" Soundwave asked as he turned to her.

"Yes sir, all of my forces are ready to accompany you." Reya said and saluted.

"Is there any flood infestation on the planet?" He then questioned the monitor.

"Why no of course not. Do you not know that the flood that reached this planet was completely eradicated?" Diablo answered confused.

"During my absence I lost my memories." Soundwave simply answered before he headed into the mountain base. Reya ordered her troops to follow and stayed close to Soundwave along with the grunt twins. Together they marched into the base.

"Oh my that is unfortunate. It is even more unfortunate that you did not keep any logs or anything of the sort unlike other Forerunners. Now that we are at it I'll inform you about a few things. It appears that the reclaimers are here, is that not wonderful?" Diablo spoke up as they made their way through the streets. Occasionally a few covenant troops would split up to establish defenses or communication posts.

"Yes and I want to know why the humans are 'reclaimers'. They thought they could claim me and now I am in conflict with them. I want their claim to be nullified." Soundwave answered with irritation creeping into his voice.

"They attacked you! Protocol dictates that if by any chance a Forerunner was to return all property would go to that person except for the Ur-Didact. Once we reach the master terminal I must send out a signal with news about your return to all other installations. I will also inform the other monitors that the humans are no longer reclaimers. A shame that they do have access to our technology. A flaw that we will have to correct." Diablo rambled angrily.

"For now we must make sure they cannot take this planet. Since you were in charge here I want you to alert all sentinels and Prometheans to shoot the humans on sight but capture if possible." Soundwave ordered.

"Of course supreme commander." The monitor said with a nod.

"I thought you were vice-supreme commander?" Ghost asked after he listened to the conversation.

"Normally yes but news has reached this installation that the previous supreme commander was stripped of his rank. It was at the order of the Librarian." Diablo clarified.

"Sir the Didact was supposedly killed when he attacked Earth." Reya informed.

"I see, thank you for the info Reya. I was wondering if perhaps you would want to be my second in command." Soundwave said with a smile. Reya went wide-eyed at what he said and even Timo and Tipo were surprised as they looked at each other in wonder.

"Are you sure sir? That would be a position for shipmaster Mdama, he was the Didact's hand after all. There are others who have more experience than me."

"True but I want you to be my other hand. Jul Mdama will be my hand in the air and you'll be my hand on the ground. Simple as that." Soundwave said rolling his eyes.

"I would be honored then sir." Reya said and bowed her head to show respect.

Soundwave nodded and with that they arrived at the main building. It was large and looked like pyramid only the top cut off and instead a tower on it. The entrance was guarded by Prometheans who kneeled when Soundwave appeared. He went inside and decided to get to work as he was followed by his company.

…..

"Anyone else who thinks that we'll encounter the Exo?" Fred said as the pelican closed in on the Covenant base. Blue team was tasked with sabotaging the vehicle depot and had brought enough explosives to do so. Kelly clasped the two SMGs on her thigh plates and shrugged.

"Most likely but then we would have to go to their command center. The Exo likes to order around but I have yet to see him take down a Spartan himself." Kelly said and heard Linda snort.

"I think it can if it is the leader of the Vex. Didn't you see that weird black armor he had back in the outpost? And that shotgun looked powerful as well." She said while placing some C17 in her pouches.

"What do you think Chief?" Fred asked their leader who remained silent during the whole flight. The Chief kept silent for some time but then answered.

"I think that the Exo is capable of doing so. We have seen the Vex in action and we have seen what the Exo can do even if it is not on the field. We underestimated it and payed the price for that mistake. This time we cannot afford to do so." The Chief said gravely. The rest of blue team looked at each other and Fred nodded.

"Hey John what is wrong? You know you can tell us anything, we're your family after all." Fred asked kindly. Linda and Kelly nodded gently since they were worried about him as well. John said nothing for some time as if he was in deep thought. Seeing him to be so quiet was normal around others but with his fellow Spartan IIs it was a bit unorthodox.

"Honestly seeing an AI that could be as cunning and witty as the Exo made me think about Cortana." He replied not meeting their gaze. This was what blue team was worried about. The Chief had lost many in the war and had still not fully come to terms concerning the death of the AI that he had worked with. First there was Sam and his death dealt quite the blow to the Chief. That single operation was still fresh in their minds. Losing Keyes and Johnson was also heartbreaking to the Chief. Those men were the closest friends he had beside his fellow Spartan IIs and the Arbiter.

"Well as long as you don't screw up the mission because of this I'm fine with you remembering her." Kelly said wanting to drop the subject since it would do less good for the outcome of the operation. The Chief was silently grateful for that.

"We're almost there, you'll have to walk somewhat before you get to the enemy base though." The voice of the pilot came through the speakers. The Spartans got up and moved to the ramp of the pelican that opened.

It was still dark but there was enough light coming from the moon that orbited Archeologis so they could clearly see the spot where they would land. It was a cliff on the mountain with a ridge that would go down and allow them to sneak behind enemy lines. There were of course patrols but they would be nothing that the legendary Spartan IIs couldn't handle. The green light came to life and signaled that they could exit the pelican. The Spartans disembarked and landed on the rocky ground. The transport flew away and blue team was left behind to fulfill their task. They moved on with weapons ready and one eye sharply scanning their surroundings while the other one watched the motion sensor. When the Chief heard a voice he held his fist up to stop their group. The crouched and peeked past the rocks to see a covenant patrol. It was not a large patrol since it consisted out of only one elite, four grunts and two jackals. The Chief nodded towards his teammates to take them down.

As the well-oiled war machines that they were blue team performed their task without even having to talk to each other. Linda took aim at the jackals and took them down in two well-placed shots. Before the first jackal had fallen the second had joined his comrade in the afterlife. With the sniper shots heard the others took action. Kelly and Fred took down the grunts who were too afraid and confused to retaliate as they were killed. The elite saw his squad being eliminated and growled in anger. Before he could fight his neck was snapped by none other than the Chief. They left the dead covenant soldiers behind and continued on their path. They passed a jackal sniper tower which was cleared in less than fifteen seconds. The Spartans did encounter a group of elites who were standing guard at a wall that the Covenant had placed. Deciding that they could only do this with no stealth the Chief ordered Codes to make sure that the enemy communications would be jammed.

With a simple 'go' from the Chief the Spartans opened fire on the elites who were taken by surprise. Before plasma fire erupted from their side there were already four elites out of commission. Kelly used her speed to close in on the elites that desperately tried to keep her away but she was far too nimble for them. When she got close she grabbed the two SMGs and began picking them off. The elites retaliated with one trying to slash her with an energy sword. She side-stepped and unloaded a clip into his shields and then into his head. The major in charge tried contacting the camp but only heard static. It was the last thing he heard before a sniper bullet pierced his skull. The Chief nodded appreciatively at how fast the hostiles were neutralized.

"Clear." Linda reported when she was done looking over the battlefield with her sniper scope.

"Affirmative, let's move on." The Chief answered before they climbed over the wall.

They had finally passed the stealth field and could take a look at the base below. They spotted the vehicle depot not so far away and attached cables to the ridge. When they were set they lowered themselves quietly in order to not alert the enemy of their presence. Codes was analyzing the communication traffic while they descended and found something interesting.

"Um Fred I found something." The AI said to the Spartan.

"Oh yeah and what would that be." He replied as he passed a rather pointy rock.

"There is talk about the Exo and how he has been accepted as their god." Codes said referring to the Covenant. Fred cursed inwardly.

"Anything else?" Fred questioned while looking down at the nearing ground.

"Just that this mountain is a Forerunner base, the main base on the planet actually." Codes said uncertainly. Fred actually almost lost his grip from shock.

"What?!" He asked trying not to raise his voice from pure surprise.

"That's what they say." Codes retorted.

"Chief we have a big problem." Fred said over the comm network. A grunt came from the Chief.

"Surprise me." Was what the Chief said thinking nothing would surprise him after the Exo.

"The mountain that we're currently descending from is actually a Forerunner base. To top it off it is the main base on the planet and the Exo is most likely inside." Fred answered. The Chief let out a deep sigh of frustration as he halted their descent.

"This might complicate things." Kelly silently added.

"If this rock is a base it'll have defenses along with a shitload of Prometheans. We need to contact command." Linda spoke up.

"Not possible, the stealth field disrupts communications and it would most likely picked up by the Forerunner base." Codes interjected. Fred groaned in frustration.

"Then how are we going to warn the Infinity that the enemy is more fortified then we thought?" He asked as motioned to the mountain.

"We'll warn them when the stealth field is down. Until then we fulfill our mission. Now get moving Spartans." Chief ordered and began going down again. He was soon followed by his team.

They silently landed at the edge of the vehicle depot and checked their motion sensors for any hostiles. Satisfied with no movement they hurried through the sleeping camp passing a few grunts who were sleeping soundly. They evaded the guards who were walking around unless necessary to engage. Though the risk that the enemy would find out that a comrade was gone was too high now. It wasn't easy especially since the Covenant seemed to have more spirit than previously. This was probably connected to the arrival of the Exo. Fred zoomed in on the scarab and notified the rest about a pair of grunts doing maintenance on the large vehicle. He looked across and gave the all clear signal when it was safe to go. This was when they split up. Kelly would go after the regular vehicles because of her speed. Linda went for the aerial vehicles and Fred would go after the scarab with the Chief.

Kelly ran quickly past a few wraiths placing explosives on the back of the tanks. She ran past one and bumped into a jackal. Before the sniper could screech she used her momentum to deliver a punch into its bird-like skull causing the alien to fall to the ground. Its skull had shattered and to dispose of the body she threw him in a wraith that was primed to blow. Linda was slower but made sure to place the explosives well. She had to hide when a pair of elites patrolled close. One thought he heard something and came close to Linda who was hiding behind a banshee. For a few moments she thought she would have to engage but luckily for her the elite shrugged it off and rejoined his fellow warrior. Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding she ran off to rejoin Kelly.

The master Chief and Fred arrived at the scarab. Fred was the first to climb while Chief kept an eye on their surroundings. When Fred was ready he beckoned for the Chief to come. The Spartan climbed on and together they went up a ramp. Fred shoved his hand in front of the Chief as a grunt walked past them humming a song. Fred nodded and stalked the grunt who approached his companion. The fellow Unggoy welcomed his friend but frowned when he saw a shadow behind him. The figure suddenly threw a knife into his skull before it broke the neck of the surprised grunt. Fred retrieved his knife and got a nod of approval from the Chief. Together they placed the last explosive at the power core of the scarab. When they were done they left the scarab and ran back to where they came from.

As they ran they noticed that the time was almost up. It was getting dawn already and soon the base would be full with activity. They joined up with the female Spartans and hurried to a hiding spot. Before they reached it an explosion rang out followed by another. The Spartans turned around and saw two plumes of smoke rising into the air. Around the base sirens began to sound alerting all of the Covenant to enemy intruders.

"What the hell just happened!?" Kelly asked fiercely.

"Fireteam Osiris was probably spotted and therefore forced to detonate their explosives according to protocol. We are now supposed to let our bombs go off as well." Codes informed quickly.

"Dammit! Chief?" Fred said and looked at the green-clad Spartan.

"Do it" He ordered. Fred pressed the detonator and let the explosives go off.

All around covenant soldiers were surprised and frightened by the fiery explosions that came from the vehicle depot. Rows of tanks and aerial units blew up causing a thunder sound. None were as fierce as the scarab as its core was instantly destroyed followed suit by its main body. Debris was thrown up in the air and landed everywhere. Grunts were frightened and ran around in panic with their leaders trying to calm them down. Fire raged on where once machines of war stood. The Spartans watched in satisfaction at the destruction even if there were still vehicles left. Another explosion went off and so they turned to see its source. Luckily it was the stealth generator which meant that the elites were successful in their task.

"Communication can now be established with command." Codes informed. Chief immediately did so.

"Come in command, this Spartan 117." The Chief spoke.

"This is Forerunner command, how can I help you sir?" The voice of the Exo rang through the comms. The Chief quickly frowned when he heard that voice.

"How did he access our communication network?" Kelly asked confused.

"Well rabbit if you hadn't noticed yet I infiltrated the Infinity and I'm inside a Forerunner military base. Enough reasons for you?" He said through her speakers inside her helmet.

"Can you block him out Codes?" Fred asked the AI who was silent.

"I'm sorry but Codes is unavailable for now." Another voice said. This one was unknown to the Spartans.

"Enough with the teasing Ghost. Now Spartans, did you really think a call home would go unnoticed. You might have hurt the Covenant but if you think you'll win easily you're very, very mistaken. I'll meet you on the battlefield." The Exo said menacingly and then static filled the comm.

"What know? Codes isn't responding and command can't be reached." Linda said. The Chief looked at the mountain and then said:

"We fight." And with that they went to the mountain where the Exo would be.

…..

Private Gunther Anderson sat anxiously in the passenger seat of the warthog. He was only recently assigned to the fleet and was excited for his first battle. Some did not share his excitement. His squad's sergeant Kowalski was a veteran from the human-covenant war and was currently driving the warthog. Their gunner, private Kabul, was praying for their safety. The other warthog that drove at their right was filled with the rest of his squad. It was a troop transport warthog with their two heavy-armed marines, their sniper and their medic.

Kowalski was occasionally grumpy but that was to be expected when you were a fifty-year old sergeant. He favored a shotgun and was from American origin. His hair was already grey from the stress he put up with. Kabul was from eastern origin and was very religious and the one who kept the relations in the squad good. Corporal Maxim and private Sergei were the heavy weapon guys; they were childhood friends from Russian origin. Maxim was their expert on explosives while Sergei used a modified SAW. Private Vos was their sniper and from a colony world. She was a good sniper and her snipping skills were on par with those of an ODST. Last was corporal Johansen, the medic. He was a talkative and friendly guy who you got easily along with. They all had a few missions together but were not as big as this operation.

"I bet twenty bucks that this'll be a walk in the park." Vos said cockily.

"Ha make it thirty. Those covenant bastards will piss their pants when they meet my gun." Sergei boasted as he hefted his SAW. Rumor around the barracks was that he had given the gun a name.

"I'm not so sure about that Sergei. Those Vex are quite the opponents apparently. I mean, they did kill many during the attack on the promethean outpost." Johansen argued while checking on his medical equipment again.

"As if those droids could outsmart bullets." Sergei retorted as he brought up his SAW again and showed it proudly. Maxim snorted at his friend's remark.

"Whatever Sergei, I think it's that Exo bastard we'll have to look out for. That one took control of the Infinity's weapons and the Covenant. I bet my stash of whisky that it'll have some nasty surprises for us." Maxim said with a slight frown.

"What do you think kid?" Vos asked Anderson who she liked to call kid only because he had joined the navy recently. He groaned at the witty sniper.

"Don't call me that but yeah I have to agree with Johansen. A friend of mine was in that ambush and told me that the Vex were relentless. They just keep coming at you in waves and also have that nasty teleport thing. He was there when a minotaur just crushed a warthog with ease. Those things are brutes only not so dumb." Anderson answered while gripping his assault rifle when he thought of his friend. The poor fellow lost a finger to a cone-head.

"Let the tinnies come, I'll put a bullet in their head." Vos said cockily.

"Shut it you maggots! If you're all so sure you can beat them go right ahead. I'll ask command if they can put you on the first line of attack but don't underestimate them. It's what those other marines caused their deaths so you better don't make the same mistake." Their sergeant spoke up harshly from experience.

"What do you think then sarge?" Kabul asked in his accent. The sergeant grunted before answering.

"I think I'm getting too old for this. I signed up to defend our worlds against hostiles, not to go to some forsaken alien planet and die just so command can learn a thing or two." Sergeant Kowalski answered the gunner. Sadly, it was true. Many had signed up to defend humanity's worlds against threats and not to die on a foreign planet for some tech.

"Well whatever the brass say we'll have to follow." Kabul responded.

"Attention all squads, prepare for enemy encounter. Operation Downfall is a go. Forward teams have already engaged the Covenant." Command said over the communication network.

"Alright ladies let's do this." Kowalski said as they drove past rocks at the mountain range.

They hurried and Kabul focused on something to get a better view. They were approaching a bunch of marines and Spartan IVs who were fighting a covenant roadblock. Resistance was fierce and even with the Spartans they hardly conquered any ground. Not a single warthog had survived and the enemy plasma turrets were pinning them down. The sergeant drove over debris and kept the warthog mobile otherwise they would be shot.

"Start giving them a hand!" Kowalski ordered.

The troop warthog halted and its occupants began finding suitable cover. Plasma and needles flew over their heads thanks to the relentless covenant soldiers. Kowalski parked the jeep behind a rock for cover while Kabul could keep firing and force the enemy to hide. The sergeant took Anderson with him and ran for the position of their allies. A plasma grenade sent dirt and dust all over them but luckily no damage.

"Who's your commanding officer!?" Kowalski yelled over the sound of battle.

"That would be me." A Spartan said with a young voice. Kowalski frowned at the man.

"How old are you?" He asked inquisitively.

"Twenty-two." The Spartan said making Kowalski look incredulously at the armored man.

"Are you fucking kidding me!? Listen I need you to cover me and Anderson along with a few of these men so we can spread out and hit them on the sides where their turrets don't hit us. Do you understand?" The sergeant quickly ordered with the question not really asking for approval. The Spartan nodded and called some men to the front. What Kowalski got were two Spartans and five marines.

"Alright maggots, I want you two Spartans on front and the rest to follow. When you go in there it will be with guns blazing and covenant scum dying!" Kowalski ordered before they all jumped over their cover and ran to the side.

As soon as they left gunfire erupted on both sides with quite the intensity. Kabul kept firing the machine gun wildly so the enemy would take cover. Vos sniped from a distance and managed to kill those who tried to kill her comrades. Sergei popped out of cover and opened fire with his SAW and placed a lot of bullets in an elite. Maxim fired his rocket launcher at a plasma turret and grinned when it blew up. By now the group had sprinted across half the distance. An elite suddenly managed to shoot a marine in the leg. The boy fell on the ground and did not get up when a carbine shot pierced his head. The elite commander roared some orders and soon four plasma grenades flew through the air. The grenades went off after one got stuck to a marine who ran to his companion in fear. The explosion engulfed both. Kowalski cursed the enemy and was glad they finally got across.

"Alright grab a grenade and throw them on my mark." He yelled as he pulled out a grenade. The rest did the same and when he gave the order six grenades fell down on the enemy.

The grunt manning a plasma turret felt something hit his head. He and the one close to him looked down to see a grenade. Both suddenly looked at each other and screamed. The grenade went off sending them away thanks to the brute force. The effect of the grenades was disastrous for the Covenant. They lost many thanks to the humans that managed to get close. Kowalski jumped into a trench with his shotgun in hand and let it rip. The elites were caught off guard and died by the hands of the enemy combatants. With confusion and death raging through their ranks the Covenant quickly retreated.

"They're running away!" Kabul cheered and was joined by the rest.

"Where is that Spartan officer?" Kowalski asked another IV.

"Jackal sniper got him in the head." The woman replied sadly.

"Shit; well unless anyone has objections I'll take command. We need to move on and link up with the rest of our forces." The sergeant said. A chorus of 'yes sir' was heard and soon they marched on.

"Yo Sergei, where is that extra ammo you brought? I need a fresh clip." Vos said as she jogged to him. The man pulled a clip out of his backpack.

"It's right- " But he never gave it as a purple shot just blew him away. Everyone was on edge and Vos screamed for Johansen to get his ass there. The medic sprinted to the downed soldier and began applying first aid to him.

"Vex!" Maxim yelled when they spotted the cyborgs. They marched in sync towards them.

"Form a defensive perimeter now!" Kowalski roared as a he shot a goblin.

"Sergei is fine but unconscious." Johansen reported.

The Vex were relentless and did not care if one of their own fell. They phased around to confuse the UNSC soldiers and were making it hard for them. A big problem was the amount of hobgoblins that fired their line rifles from high locations. With the support of their god's private army the Covenant recomposed themselves and fought back. Deadly energy was being shot at them with the intent to kill and destroy. Goblins began to pour in from the front with Prometheans at their sides. The Covenant gave cover from behind.

"Where did they all come from?!" Vos questioned while taking down another goblin.

"Hey listen to this!" Anderson yelled as he let them listen to his communicator.

"This is armored assault force five, we are encountering heavy resistance at our position from Promethean forces. There is a lot of them and- 'BOOM!' God, another tank destroyed!" A tank commander said desperately in the comm network.

"Mayday, mayday this is Viper 2-3. Our hornets are being harassed by flying Vex! Shit we've been hit, we're going down!" A pilot yelled before his voice was silenced.

"We need air support at our position now! We're dealing with three knights and two minotaurs, our heavy ammo is gone. We won't last longer!" An army ranger corporal requested with gunfire all around her.

"Where the fuck did all these Prometheans come from?!" A man questioned fiercely.

"The whole communication network is a mess sarge." Anderson said flinching when a grenade landed too close for his liking. Goblins were gaining ground and steadily advancing. Without the Spartans and warthog, they would have already been overwhelmed.

"Look, the frigates!" Johansen yelled. They all looked up to see the figures of the human frigates and the Sangheili corvettes.

The corvettes began to position themselves for bombardment while the UNSC frigates prepared their MAC cannons. They all cheered at the cavalry but stopped when the ground shook. A loud rumble came from the mountain that was heard by all. Out the mountain came four giant cannons that exceeded the size of a standard MAC cannon. The Forerunner cannons turned at the ships and began to charge their solar energy. When they fired a slight shockwave could be felt. The forward corvette was instantly pulverized when a shot ripped it apart and disintegrated most of its hull. Another shot collided with a frigate and split it in two. The other ships were lucky as they managed to initiate evasive maneuvers. The solar projectiles did graze their hulls and damage them. Around the mountain the ground opened to reveal Forerunner defenses. When they were ready they all opened fire on the aerial units from the UNSC or swords of Sanghelios.

"This can't be happening." Maxim said grimly.

While this was happening the Covenant took the opportunity to reorganize their troops and counter attack. The Prometheans came with more Vex support and began their second assault. Two falcons arrived and mowed the robots down to give the ground troops some space to breathe. A phantom arrived carrying some friendly elites. With the reinforcements they fought back valiantly. Anderson grabbed a plasma grenade on the ground and threw it at a hobgoblin. The cyborg looked at the spherical device on its chest before being blown back by the brute force. The remains hit a minotaur that flung the dead hobgoblin away and fired its torch hammer. The blast knocked some elites off their feet but were covered by the falcons. The aerial vehicles barraged the minotaur depleting its shield by the second. Eventually the shield gave out and its chassis was filled with holes before it slumped to the ground.

Maxim fired his rocket launcher at a knight and hit it in its side. The rocket did its work since the large machine began to disintegrate into data. Maxim chuckled but was throw on the ground. He looked up and saw a promethean soldier aim its weapon at him. Before it fired the soldier received at least twenty bullets into its body from Sergei who helped his friend. Maxim was happy to see his friend awake again and together they fought on. The fight was at a stalemate and Anderson did his best to help but the enemies kept coming. He fired another round into a goblin's chassis hitting the weak spot. Kowalski was beside him and grunted in approval at the shot. They suddenly heard a loud explosion and saw one of the falcons go down in a fireball. From the mountain came a promethean phaeton that fired at the airborne vehicles. The other pilot noticed the danger but the phaeton was already on him. The falcon's cockpit was hit and the pilot died sending the chopper out of control. With the support gone their enemies once again marched on.

"We need to move!" Vos yelled in dismay. Kowalski looked at the hordes of enemy soldiers and begrudgingly agreed. They were outnumbered and outgunned.

"All of you, fall back!" He ordered. Everyone began to retreat while being followed by the mechanical soldiers bent on their annihilation. As they fled some died as they were shot in the back by their pursuers. It was only after some time that they could rest when the hostiles stopped following. Kowalski made sure everyone of his squad was accounted for and slumped against a tree muttering about retirement. Anderson took a shaky breath and tried to calm down. Vos let her sniper rifle rest against the tree and embraced him to help calm him down.

Out of nowhere dozens of Prometheans and Vex appeared with guns aimed at them. An elite marshal stepped out of the shadows and told them they were now prisoners.

This was not what Anderson had in mind for his first major battle.

…..

With perfect stealth Kelly stalked the two promethean soldiers who patrolled the road that led to the large building in the cave. They stopped and stood there for a while to make sure no one had infiltrated the base. A sound from their left made them raise their weapons. The closest soldier went to investigate and was oblivious to the shadow that crept up to the second soldier. With a quick demolition of the head the soldier fell apart in raw data. The soldier who went to investigate quickly followed its comrade's fate. Kelly gave the sign for her team to come out of their cover. The Spartans quickly joined her and continued to head for the large building that they assumed to be the command center.

"Still no word from Codes." Fred reported as he had tried to find out what happened to the AI. The Chief nodded and checked his motion sensor for any hostiles.

"We need to be quick with this." Linda said. They had all thought of the huge amount of Prometheans stationed here. There were even more than at the outpost and they knew that the Exo would gladly use them to fend off any attack.

"What was up with those tremors?" Kelly asked with a frown.

"Perhaps a frigate bit the dust." Linda said.

"Wait what is that noise?" Fred suddenly spoke up halting them in their tracks.

It was a soft humming that sounded familiar. As if something was hovering and it was close. They turned around to see a lone sentinel behind them. No one moved as the sentinel regarded the Spartans. Then it flew away to some place.

"Think it was hostile?" Fred questioned. Prometheans began to appear and open fire on them with sentinels as backup.

"Definitely hostile!" Kelly answered as she opened fire along with her fellow Spartans.

With great difficulty they retaliated by destroying all that came after them. Prometheans kept pouring in through the road and gained ground every second. The sentinels did a good job of forcing blue team back into cover allowing the Prometheans to gain ground. The situation was not good and it was going to get worse if the Vex or Covenant showed up. The Chief spotted a smaller road that they could use to bypass the enemy. He marked it and ran for it with his team. The Prometheans pursued with crawlers and sentinels that kept up with the Spartans. Solar energy grazed their shields occasionally and were close to dissipate. Fred left a grenade that thinned the pack of crawlers out but there were still a lot of them excluding the soldiers. They came out of the alley and ran straight into a promethean blockade that included both knights and splinter turrets. Again the Spartans had to run away in order to survive thanks to the small promethean army that followed. They exited another ally to find themselves into what looked like a square. In the middle there was a small tower that reached around 40 foot into the air.

"Linda get up there and give cover. Kelly hide behind that corner to ambush them. Fred, you and I will take position behind that barricade that faces the alley." Chief ordered. They quickly hurried to their assigned positions and waited for the enemy. A minute went by and still no enemies.

"Where did they go?" Fred questioned confused by the lack of Prometheans.

Linda observed the alleyway and the roofs of the buildings. Her trained eyes soaked up every single detail. She was so focused on the supposed enemy in front of her that she didn't notice the threat behind her.

"Sup." Soundwave said. Linda's eyes widened and turned around only to get a 'this is Sparta!' kick right in the chest from the armored exo. She fell and landed hard on the ground leaving a dent in it. Her shield flashed as it was depleted to less than a quarter of its original power. She groaned in pain and quickly rolled away just in time to evade a stomp of Soundwave. By now the rest had noticed him and opened fire. Soundwave quickly took cover behind a barricade and chuckled.

"Good to see you four again. I have to say that I'm impressed by your capabilities. If it weren't for you Spartans, my forces would have annihilated yours back at the forest." Soundwave said loud enough so they could hear him. As an answer a grenade landed close to him. He ran over to another barricade with only one shot of Fred's DMR hitting him.

"Rude." Soundwave muttered before aiming his pulse rifle.

He fired his own weapon at Fred. The light-infused bullets were stronger than standard bullets so the Spartan was surprised when his shields dropped so fast. Fred spun back into cover but a bullet had wounded his forearm. Nothing severe but it still managed to draw blood. Chief fired his assault rifle and was busy with depleting Soundwave's shields. The shields held though allowing the exo to safely find shelter from the bullet rain. Meanwhile Kelly was running to the side hoping she could flank the enemy. Linda was climbing on a wall and hopped on a balcony for better view. Soundwave threw a lightening grenade that fell close to Fred. He braced for an explosion but did not anticipate the bolts of lightning that erupted from it. The dangerous bolts of pure arc energy kept raging on for some seconds before dissipating. Fred was unlucky enough to have his shields completely dropped thanks to the grenade.

Soundwave tried to get another shot at the Spartans but felt a sniper bullet hit his chest plate. His shields barely held on so he had to use his AI reflexes to determine where it came from and how to evade the next bullet. Utilizing his enhanced agility, he rolled away behind the tower only to meet Kelly. The fast Spartan brought her SMGs up to fire. The bullets impacted at his slightly recovered shields as he ran straight to her. He failed to punch her as she ducked, luckily for him stopping her assault. He brought his knee up but she skillfully pushed the limb aside and threw her own punch aimed for his head. He cocked his head to the left and the rest of his body, using the momentum to kick her. He registered how she managed to evade thanks to her speed and decided to even things a bit. A surge of arc energy flowed through him at his command. When she tried to elbow him quickly he leaned back and did a breakdance move that swept her legs away. She didn't anticipate the move and fell on her back. He brought his fist down with arc energy emanating from it down to her stomach. Her shields couldn't hold up and died out. With swift movement he kicked her away in the side getting a loud grunt of pain from the Spartan. He dove behind cover as the other blue team members came to help their comrade. Kelly coughed a few times tasting blood in her mouth. Fred hurried to her and checked up on her while the Chief passed them.

Soundwave got back up only to meet the stock of Chief's weapon. It crashed into his helmet of Saint-14 and made him stumble back. The Spartan then punched him but Soundwave brought his arm up. The large fist collided with the gauntlets not only taking the brunt of the force but also triggering the defensive system. A shockwave erupted that drained the Chief's shields and forced him back. Soundwave capitalized on this and brought his weapon forth. The knife on the end of the barrel cut the Chief's arm where his armor didn't protect him. Before Soundwave could attack again Linda fired her weapon. The bullet pierced Soundwave's leg. The exo grimaced and could feel that the leg wouldn't respond so good anymore. Not to mention the pain. He let a flashbang grenade behind that was strapped to his armed chest and hurried behind a pillar. The Spartans did the same to hide from the flashbang. When the sound and light died out they looked around to see where Soundwave was.

Said exo was currently gritting his metal plates which acted as a mouth. Having a large bullet pierce your leg was painful even to him. Luckily his fast regeneration took care of the wound. He was hidden away and his leg was already forty percent healed. He accessed their channel again to stall for time.

"You know that really hurts. Could you next time at least try to make it as painless as possible and not to cripple me?" Soundwave said in a frustrated voice.

"Next time I'll aim for your head." Linda answered agitated by him. She had broken a rib thanks to him and wanted to break him more.

"Why thank you very kindly madam. Four against one is really unfair isn't it?" Soundwave spoke up in a contemplating manner.

Before the Spartans could react there appeared dark fog around the square. In front of them was now an angry hydra accompanied by ten goblins. They all opened fire at the Spartans forcing them back. The hydra was covered by its rotating shield and erected a barrier to cut off escape.

"Find cover!" The Chief ordered.

The powerful cannons of the hydra began barraging them with void blasts. Goblins were teleporting around and encircled the Spartans. Linda got some distance and put her skills to use as she picked the goblins off one by one. Fred ran for cover but a blast from the hydra threw him away. With his wound healed Soundwave jumped from his own cover and used his lift ability to gain the upper ground.

Fred got up only to get hit in the face from Soundwave. The Spartan grabbed a combat knife and swiped at the exo. They began parrying blows and Soundwave approved of the close combat skills that Fred had. Neither gained ground on the other. Soundwave had managed to get the drop on Kelly but Fred was different. The Spartan was an expert in hand to hand combat while Kelly relied on speed. By taking away that advantage Soundwave beat her. Fred was not as fast but saw a jab or a punch coming before it happened. He was also quite good with the knife. Soundwave realized that unless he found a solution to this advantage of his opponent he would get nowhere with just fist fighting. He had to make sure Fred wouldn't see it coming. He needed to be unpredictable.

With a facial expression of a grinning prankster he got to action. Soundwave suddenly fell to the ground confusing Fred. He then spun around causing Fred to jump but he did not anticipate the heavy foot that connected with his abdomen. Fred doubled over giving Soundwave the time to get up and head-butt the now dazed Spartan. Soundwave punched Fred his head but Fred dodged by leaning to the left. Out of Soundwave his fist fell a grenade which alarmed Fred immensely.

"Tic Tac boom!" Soundwave yelled excitedly like a madman. The grenade detonated engulfing both in purple light. When it was over both combatants still stood although Fred his armor was cracked and severely damaged. Soundwave had less of the effect since he wrapped himself up in a void barrier.

"Your close combat skills are remarkable. Linda her marksman skills and Kelly's speed are extraordinary as well. The Chief is, well the Chief I guess." Soundwave said calmly this time with a hint of a calculative mind.

Fred then realized why the Exo was here. It wasn't here to kill them; it was learning about them. With an alarmed mind he grabbed the DMR on his back and fired. Soundwave ran at him with the purple void shield taking all the hits. Just as the additional shield gave out he got close enough. Suddenly his shotgun Invective materialized in his hands. Fred was now at full alert with the weapon so close. The first shot rang out eliminating the still regenerating shields of Fred. The Spartan dove away while still firing. As the second shot came it just grazed his shin armor but Fred definitely felt the heat from the bullet. He threw one of his knifes and saw it embed in the knee of Soundwave but then the third shot came. It hit Fred square in the chest forcing him back. Fred felt immense pain at his chest and saw his chest armor being reduced to melting metal. The fourth shot never came though. The Chief had grabbed the knife and cut the wound further causing Soundwave to fall in agony as sparks flew around the broken leg.

Soundwave acted quickly and deployed his ward and was glad the protective purple bubble came in view. The Chief was not so glad at all. Thanks to the helmet of Saint-14 the ward came with an extra effect. Since he was an enemy and not an ally he was blinded. For a moment the large Spartan was caught off guard. Enough time for Soundwave to throw the Chief away and out of the ward. The Chief landed next to a panting Fred and slowly got up. The migraine he felt was downright terrible. Linda and Kelly got to them as they had just managed to defeat the hydra.

"Chief, Fred you two okay?" Kelly asked concerned. Chief nodded as his vision slowly recovered. Fred gave a shaky thumb up but coughed once. Linda fired a round in the ward but saw the bullet have no effect. Soundwave chuckled a bit as he regarded them.

"What's so funny, didn't manage to kill us?" Linda sneered.

"Nah, this was a little test so I could get to know you even better. I am impressed by your abilities. Now I'm afraid I need to leave so I can end this battle. These guys will hold you busy." Soundwave told them as multiple Prometheans showed up. Soundwave gave a mock salute before he was teleported to the main command center. The main building was dubbed 'the citadel' by the religious Covenant and he went with it.

"Get Fred to safety now." John ordered quickly while attracting the enemy's attention.

"This is going to suck." Fred muttered as Kelly picked him up to drag him to safety while the Prometheans fired.

…..

"Status report." Soundwave said as everyone got to attention when he arrived.

"We are pushing the enemy back." Ghost said bringing up a view of the ongoing battle.

"Promethean forces have lost a lot to the humans but I have finally activated all defenses. Sentinels are aiding as well but are mostly used as guards for the defenses." Diablo spoke up.

"Our covenant forces have managed to reorganize and aid the Prometheans in pushing the enemy back. Shipmaster Mdama wishes to speak with you." Reya added.

Soundwave activated the facility's communication array and soon saw the visage of Jul on the screen.

"My liege, I am ready to attack the enemy fleet at your command. We are outnumbered at the moment since parts of our fleet are not here but I'll manage." The shipmaster informed.

"Do not worry shipmaster, I have a plan. The four solar beam cannons can combine their energy and fire a concentrated shot at the enemy ships. I had Diablo activate other planetary guns as well which are able to fire at ships in and around orbit." Soundwave told him. Mdama felt more confident now and showed it in his stance.

"Then I'll eliminate them all my lord!" Mdama roared. Surprisingly Soundwave held his hand up to stop the eccentric elite.

"No you will not. Even with these guns we will not be able to fully eradicate the enemy presence here. They have Spartans, the arbiter, the Infinity and a lot of bodies to throw at us. Attack them swiftly and the use your slipspace drives to go to the moon. With a fast barrage of your ships and the guns we'll do much damage. So much that I can convince captain Lasky to retreat." Soundwave thoughtfully said. A lot were shocked, some not at all.

"But we can defeat them." Mdama sputtered. Soundwave shook his head in denial.

"Cripple them yes, defeat them no. The losses we would suffer would outweigh our victory. By showing them a display of our power we will defeat their will to fight. Now will you follow my orders or will you refuse shipmaster?" Soundwave continued with conviction in his voice. Mdama looked at him with a neutral look but relented and bowed his head.

"It will be done." He said before disconnecting.

"Enemy gunships are assaulting our western flank along with tanks. Vex units there have been almost completely annihilated. The field marshal there requests support." Tipo calmly reported from his terminal.

"Activate the solar cannons and charge them to fire at the hostile fleet. Send the promethean phaetons to deal with the western flank. The Vex are unfortunately spread thin and I had to task them with exhausting the Spartans." Soundwave ordered and sat down in the command chair. Reya stood dutifully at his side.

"You could not defeat them sir?" She questioned.

"As if, they simply managed to cut my leg and cripple me. I'm not that dumb to fight four of the deadliest humans with a broken leg." Soundwave scoffed. Reya looked alarmed and Ghost came to scan the leg.

"Do we need a technician sir?" She asked with concern. He looked up at her and smiled.

"No thank you Reya. I appreciate the concern but I possess fast regeneration. My leg should be healed by now." He assured her.

"He's right, the leg is fully operational again." Ghost added and floated back to the main console where Diablo was.

"Sir, the ships are ready to attack." Timo informed.

"Open a line to the Infinity and Shadow of Intent." Soundwave ordered. They complied and began hailing the large ships. After some time, he could identify the faces of Rtas Vadum, Thomas Lasky and Sarah Palmer.

"Greetings my enemies, I see you're all well." Soundwave said smoothly. He heard Reya mutter 'for now' and resisted the urge to snicker. Lasky didn't look amused.

"What do you want Exo?" He asked sternly. It didn't surprise him that they called him by his species.

"For a ceasefire of course." Soundwave answered plainly. Rtas growled at him.

"We do not need to do so. We will break through your defenses and behead you along with your precious Covenant." The elite said gruffly. Soundwave narrowed his eyes.

"And you agree captain Lasky?" He asked calmly. Lasky gave a nod of confirmation.

"We're going to turn you into scrap." Palmer venomously threatened while grabbing her two magnums in anger. Soundwave rolled his eyes at the obvious threat.

"Whatever grumpy." Soundwave said dismissively. Palmer growled in anger and stuck her middle finger up. Soundwave gave her a deadpan look.

"Why are these humans so rude?" He told Ghost exasperated.

"I don't know but we're ready." Ghost answered with an excited hum from Diablo.

"You will change your mind very soon." Soundwave told his opponents with a scowl and added "Now witness the firepower of these fully armed and operational solar cannons!" At the sound of the order given the grunts and AIs began their work. The comm was turned off and a display of the enemy fleet took its place.

"Commence primary ignition." Diablo ordered. Both he and Ghost shot their beam at the terminal. A rumble was heard throughout the mountain as the main cannon gathered energy.

"Aligning the four cannons with the primary cannon." Tipo informed.

"Activating the solar cannons at other locations. All units responding well. No malfunctioning so far." Timo added.

The top of the mountain opened showing a cannon larger than a MAC cannon. Out of it came four tubes dished forming around the holes. The four cannons that drove enemy air units back each turned to face those tubes. With a mighty roar their solar energy went into the tubes and powered the main cannon. With the combined energy from five sources the weapon began to power up and store the accumulated solar power. On different locations on the planet smaller versions of the gun began to power up as well.

"Weapon charged at seventy percent." Ghost informed.

"Other stations are ready to fire." Diablo added as well.

"The fleet is ready and shipmaster Mdama awaits your command sir." Reya told Soundwave who nodded.

"Tell him to attack once the guns have fired." He responded and looked at the display that showed the large fleet of both Sangheili and humans.

"Weapon is charged!" Tipo said.

"So are the other guns, sir!" His twin added.

With one final gaze at the enemy fleet he spoke the simple sentence that would bring forth destruction.

"Open fire!"

At his command the cannon fired. A bright orange beam of heat was unleashed and coursed through the air. As it reached orbit with amazing speed it expanded and split off in multiple beams. At the same time the other cannons fired their own beams. The solar rays impacted against the fleet of human and Sangheili ships. Smaller ships held out for a few seconds but then their shields evaporated. The deadly rays of light burned through the hulls and caused explosions. The reactors were in bad odds as they melted down causing the ships to become small stars. The larger ships fared better but still felt the results of the attack as their shields were either neutralized or barely active. The Infinity shook when it got hit by the attack and many stumbled if not fell. Another ship began to spiral out of control thanks to the explosions and rammed a Sangheili cruiser.

"Status report!" Lasky yelled in concern.

"Escort ships are down!"

"We have a hull breach on deck five and seven."

"The Sangheili have lost a quarter of their ships and the rest are in bad condition."

"We're getting reports that electronics have been affected by the solar energy and need to reboot."

Lasky listened to the ensigns who were busy trying to get everything back into order and grimaced.

"Enemy contact!" An ensign yelled and indeed the covenant fleet moved to engage. They outnumbered the Covenant but with the damage caused by those guns from the planet they were in a bad shape.

"They're firing!" The same ensign yelled.

Plasma cannons were blazing as they shot heavy bursts of plasma at their targets. Torpedoes were launched and aimed at important targets. Fighters exited their hangars and engaged in either a dogfight or a bombardment. Lasky had to reorganize his fleet and order the weapon officers to fire the MAC cannons. Rtas also fired his own weapons and together they retaliated fiercely. Ships went down and fighters were taken out. A cold chill went down Lasky's spine as if something bad would happen soon. He carefully overviewed their position and that of the enemy. He then noticed that the covenant ships and fighters were forcing his ships to get close to each other to block the enemy. He frowned as he saw the enemy ships point at the moon. When they all went through slipspace he realized too late what was going to happen. Yellow light came from the planet and once again hit their ships. Fighters that were too close also met a flaming end. This time he fell on the ground as another beam impacted against the ship. When all was done more than half of their fleet was turned to dust. Lasky felt blood coming from his head and heard the concerned shout of the crew. He got up from the floor and sat down in his chair.

"Sir another transmission from the planet." He heard. The bridge fell silent and he nodded to the officer. Soundwave appeared on the screen.

"Boom! I sunk your battleships bitch!" Soundwave boasted and Lasky his anger for the exo grew.

"What do you want?" Lasky hissed through gritted teeth.

"Why that ceasefire of course. Here's the deal: all of your soldiers get off my planet and you leave the system. This also includes the Swords of Sanghelios. Also if you do not attack covenant territory and do not meddle with us, including spies, I will make sure no attacks will be launched on humanity." Soundwave reasoned.

"How can we trust you." Lasky said warily. Soundwave grew very serious.

"I believe in honor captain. I never go back on my promises. I returned both scientists and when your Spartans came to get them I let them go. You decided to attack me at the outpost while I let them go. What choice do you have? Either you leave with lives intact or otherwise you keep on fighting. If you manage to defeat me and my troops, the planet will self-destruct and take you all with it. I am offering peace captain; the choice is yours." Soundwave calmly explained. Lasky silently looked at the faces of his crew with many having blood on them. Then his gaze fell on the planet where his troops were dying.

"I cannot decide for peace in total but I'll take you on your offer. If you break your word, we'll ram our ship into you if necessary." Lasky finally said. Soundwave nodded in understanding.

"Very well then captain. I hereby order my troops to stop fighting." Soundwave announced before shutting his comm off.

"Self-destruct? There is no function like that." Diablo pointed out confused and was rewarded with a chuckle from Soundwave.

"A bluff to convince him. After all the stunts I pulled off I wouldn't be surprised if they believed all I said." He answered.

"Fascinating." Diablo simply answered.

"The battle is over. I want reports on how many we lost and how much damage we sustained." Soundwave ordered as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ghost asked curiously.

"I'm going to visit some Spartans." He replied with a grin before teleporting himself with the local teleport system.

…..

Thel was apprehensive of the enemy offer but was glad for it. At the moment he was making sure no one broke the temporary peace treaty. Be it his own or the enemy. He felt the stares and gazes of the Prometheans and Covenant. The Vex were simply standing there like statues. He heard the cry of a brother and went to him. The elite had a wound across his chest. The wound would heal easily but his leg was beneath a wrecked wraith. Arbiter yelled for help and was joined by two fellow elites. They used the strength they had left after the fight and struggled with getting him out. Suddenly the wraith was pushed away. He saw blue team helping them and Kelly pulling the elite out.

"Spartans, where have you been?" Arbiter asked once the elite was hauled away by his brothers.

"When we achieved our objective we tried to infiltrate the mountain. Inside was an entire base that looked like a small city. We lost Codes to the Exo and had a short encounter with him. Kelly has broken three ribs and quite some bruises. Linda might have broken something as well. Fred has a burn on his right leg thanks to a hobgoblin but almost all of his armor has been wrecked by the Exo." Chief explained. Indeed, the Spartans looked a little battered up if some broken armor pieces were an indication.

"And you?" Arbiter further questioned.

"We met a hydra and engaged it. They're very durable and pack quite the firepower. They have this shield that turns around and deflects everything you throw at it. It managed to harm me but just some minor bruises." Chief answered. Thel nodded his head at the large Spartan in understanding.

"How did you fare against the Exo?" Arbiter asked curiously. He wanted to know how the Exo fought. They continued the conversation they had as they walked towards a waiting pelican.

"Decent I suppose. The most injuries that we got were from him. He managed to sneak up on Linda and kicked her off a lookout tower. What surprised me the most was that he could keep up with Kelly in close combat. He could do something with electricity and that purple energy. As if he powered himself and his attacks with it." Chief carefully explained. Arbiter frowned at hearing this. Even he had almost been beaten by Kelly's speed. Hearing that the Exo could have such great speed was concerning.

"Troublesome, but he has a gender?" Thel asked confused at the mention of 'he'. The Chief nodded in confirmation.

"We had a talk when the ceasefire was given. He made sure captain Lasky confirmed it and escorted us to the exit with troops. He expressed his dissatisfaction to be called 'it' and droid. He showed us the way out. He let us once again go." Chief clarified.

"He seems to be honorable then. So far he has not attacked us nor provoked us. But we must be alert though. He can still trick us like that accursed Gravemind did." Thel spoke wisely. Chief agreed and both remembered the vile creature that had betrayed them.

"Are we ready then?" Chief asked when they entered the pelican.

"Yes all are accounted for and most of the dead have been collected. Let us hope we do not get shot out of the air." Arbiter muttered.

"How did the Exo actually force captain Lasky into agreeing to the ceasefire?" Chief further questioned.

"The enemy had multiple cannons on the planet which destroyed large parts of the fleet. Even if we were victorious the Exo threatened to activate the planet's self-destruct. We could not take the risk and the Exo wishes to have a peace treaty with our governments." Arbiter said thoughtful.

"I don't know if they will accept. Many are tired of fighting though." Chief said honestly. It was no secret that some wished for the end to all this fighting even if there were no huge battles raging on.

"Were it so easy." Thel said as he got some rest as they were headed for the fleet which soon left the system.

…..

"We should attack while they are vulnerable!" Mdama roared from his command chair on his ship.

There was a large conference room in the citadel that they used to communicate with each other. While some were in the chairs around the table in the living flesh, others were holograms and at a different location. Some roared in agreement while others were neutral about the matter. Reya and her uncle stood at Soundwave's side and watched the debate silently. Soundwave was paying attention to the roars of his officers but felt his ire rising. He would have to exchange a few words with them before his next move. With a slam of his fist on the table he silenced the gathered Sangheili and few brutes. The other species had few leaders and were standing quietly at the side.

"Enough of this useless bickering." He said in a cold voice that made others shiver. With an equal cold glare, he looked at each individual before speaking further. "I understand your apprehension in letting the enemy leave but I will most certainly not allow you to let this Covenant fall into chaos with this aggravating noise." He hissed fiercely. Many were as silent as one could be. One foolish Sangheili did not understand.

"But this is an outrage! We are allowing a demonic race to escape! The teachings of our Covenant goes against this." The male yelled with anger. Soundwave let his ice-cold optics land on his now slightly frightened eyes.

"If we kept on fighting more would die. The Prometheans and Vex could not bring more reinforcements. The cannons needed to cool down and recharge which would give the enemy time to kill us. The Covenant has become weak. We need skilled fighters and not those who haven't even received proper training. Resources are limited and we need to gain more influence. Do you need more reasons?!" Soundwave said raising his voice as kept on talking. The elite slumped back into his seat in defeat as did others.

It was true that the Storm Covenant was but a shadow of the former Covenant. They had almost no supplies, little influence on the home planets and colonies so they were forced to colonize planets and build new equipment. The process was slow and they lost more than they gained in battles. They even had to go so low as to attack human convoys for supplies. Many warriors were inexperienced and reckless. Begrudgingly they all had to admit it was true. Without the Promethean and Vex support they would have been eliminated.

"What will we do then? How are we to survive?" A fleet marshal asked desperately.

"We will change along with the Covenant. Let us go now." Soundwave said and left for the door. He was followed by his inner circle and the Precursor guard. The officers all decided to follow as well.

They exited the citadel to meet hundreds of covenant followers who were waiting for the Exo to speech. All species were gathered and grunts operated cameras that would broadcast his message to the whole galaxy using the signal amplifier of the citadel. The message would reach every colony and capital of each faction. The crowd cheered as he came on stage followed by his advisors and the impressive Precursors. A few promethean knights were also in the security. He greeted them and motioned for everyone to calm down. At the covenant colonies everyone watched on. So did Sanghelios and earth as well even if not intentional.

"Thank you, for those who have not heard of me yet I am known as the Exo. I am a mechanical Forerunner who has recently returned to my home. It was here on Archeologis that I was found by the humans and brought to their ship where they experimented on me. I awoke and did not comply to their wishes to put me on an operating table so they attacked me. I escaped and linked up with the Covenant. Prometheans, Covenant and Forerunner worked together to defeat the UNSC with its Sangheili allies and we were victorious. Now I wish to address the Covenant that chose me as their leader." Soundwave recalled and paused to let it all sink in. It was as silent as it could be, even the brutes were watching quietly.

"I have learned of the practices and history of the Covenant. I am infuriated with the San'Shyuum, the prophets, for their vile treachery. The great journey that they told you about was indeed a lie! They used Sangheili, Unggoy, Kig-Yar, Jiralhanae, Lekgolo, Yanme'e and Huragok in their quest for power. Because of them the human race fought and still fights you. That war has installed hate in both covenant species and humans. That hatred consumes many including some in this Covenant. They would see many of their brethren and sisters die just to see the enemy suffer. I cannot support such a Covenant. People are dying for nothing because they cannot look past their hatred and sadness." He continued getting many gasps and murmurs from the crowds. None were expecting such talk.

"That is why I am here on this stage. It is here in this time of victory that showed what we could achieve. I want to change this organization into a better society. A society where all have chances, all can grow, all can live in prosperity, all can be equal, all can have roles in which they can contribute best. A society that will last the cruelty of time and one day surpass the Forerunner society which was doomed because of arrogance at a time. It does not matter which race you are such as Unggoy, Huragok or even human. All will be welcome to make us grow. Many of you will oppose this idea such as peace with our current enemies. Some are here because they were forced, some because they have nowhere to go and some just for revenge. Perhaps you are right you should refuse, but I do not command but ask if you would join. Join the new Covenant at your own will and you will be treated as an equal no matter what. You will have a new chance at live. United we will stand against corruption such as the horrific human organization called ONI. Stand with me and together we will prevail!" Soundwave further said with conviction and pride. The way he spoke encouraged many.

Grunts and engineers received hope that they would no longer be seen as inferior and recognized. Jackals were thrilled to be able to pursue other careers and have a better reputation than being pirates. Brutes would finally be able to be part of a society where they could be checked instead of destroying their own over and over again. Elites saw along with brutes and others a chance to be as good as their gods. Needless to say almost everyone in the Covenant was thrilled. From fleets to colonies everyone cheered and roared in approval. The same was at the citadel where even hatred-filled individuals cheered and lost parts of their grudges. Jul Mdama silently agreed when he realized this was a useless crusade as he gazed at the young warriors on his ship. They stood little chance and somehow he believed every word Soundwave said. The Exo had shown him that others were more important than his hate.

"Will you stand with me?! Will you spit in the face of fate and create your own destiny?!" Soundwave roared loudly and got louder roars as an answer. Many applauded him and cheered. Unggoy danced, Jiralhanae punched their fists on their chests in agreement, Huragok whistled in happiness and Sangheili gave their best battle cry.

"Then a new pact is formed. From this day on the Covenant is no more and a new Galactic Empire is born and all are welcome to have a destiny of his or her own. We shall face the test of time and prevail or at least die trying!" He concluded. He let people calm down before he once again talked.

"Now this message is to the people of Sanghelios and earth. Leaders of these civilizations, I plead to you to lay down arms and have a peace gathering. At this gathering we will discuss and end this bloody war with diplomacy instead of violence. Too many have suffered and we should all have our sights on rebuilding that which has been destroyed. I await your answer and thank you for listening to me." He finished before bowing his head in respect and stepping off the stage.

That day was the day that a new Covenant was born. They would have a large part in the events that fate had prepared. The message had been played on the social media of humanity and all had heard the words of the last Forerunner.

Change was coming soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Important notice: I will be adding stuff from other things such as star wars or even Red vs Blue (I think most Halo fans know the series). If you ask me why then simply because why not. Enjoy this chapter which unfortunately is mostly about politics and preparations.**

"Then a new pact is formed. From this day on the Covenant is no more and a new Galactic Empire is born and all are welcome to have a destiny of his or her own. We shall face the test of time and prevail or at least die trying!" The Exo roared on the screen of the large TV before it was shut off.

On the repaired Cairo station all important military leaders of the UNSC were gathered to discuss this new Empire. From navy admirals to army generals were all gathered inside a very large conference room. Many murmurs broke out when Lord Hood had turned off the screen. Many concerning thoughts ran through the heads of the officers before they were silenced by the aging fleet admiral. When the murmurs died down he sat down again at the main table where everyone of the UNSC Security Committee sat. Aside from him there were UNSC Army liaison Major General Nicolas Strauss, Office of Naval Intelligence liaison Admiral Serin Osman, UNSC Marine Corps liaison General Hogan and UNSC Air Force liaison General Dellert. With everyone silent he began to speak.

"As you all have seen the Covenant has apparently changed into the Galactic Empire. This message was broadcasted two days ago. By now we think that almost everyone of the Covenant have joined this new empire which is led by the mechanical Forerunner called the Exo. After the covenant attack on one of the colony worlds the fleet led by captain Thomas Lasky pursued and recovered the Exo. During the recovery doctor Halsey was rescued as well and the Spartans encountered a cyborg race called the Vex. They seem to answer to only the Exo. Both doctor Halsey and Glassman experimented on him at the order of high command. The Exo was presumed to be an AI instead of an actual Forerunner so we incurred the wrath of him. He managed to teleport Vex onto the ship and hacked into the mainframes. He downloaded almost all of the info, even classified intel, along with the weapon systems. After firing the missiles of the Infinity and dealing considerable damage to its fleet he went to the planet with the doctors as hostages and contacted the Covenant." Hood explained telling the details. Many were paying the utmost attention. A lot were shocked at the Exo's capabilities.

"He released the hostages but since he was labelled as a threat we tried attacking the outpost where he had linked up with the Covenant. The assault force didn't even reach the outpost due to the Exo's tactics. After the failed assault another was launched on the Covenant main base. Unknowingly to us it was the main Forerunner base with many Promethean forces stored inside. During the attack many died and others were presumably captured. From that base and others on the planet, cannons were fired dealing massive damage to the mixed fleet. Then the covenant navy attacked quickly and left so the cannons could once again fire. With so much death and destruction retreat was the best option and the Exo proposed a ceasefire. No enemy attacks were launched when our forces and those of the Sangheili retreated. Now we are here to discuss how to prepare humanity against this empire. Tomorrow there will be a meeting of the UEG officials to discuss if we should accept this peace treaty." Hood said and let everyone digest the information he just gave. It was admiral Osman, head of ONI, who spoke first.

"Of course we still have to wait before making decisions since doctor Catherine Halsey and doctor Henry Glassman have info to share with us." She said with a neutral voice. The doors of the room opened and through them came the mentioned doctors ready for their presentation.

"Doctors you can begin." Lord Hood said as he crossed his hands. Halsey nodded appreciatively before Glassman typed on his datapad. An image of the Exo appeared standing in his full armor and another one where he is laying without armor on a table.

"Thank you fleet admiral. As you all can see this the mechanical Forerunner known as the Exo. When it comes to physical appearance the Exo is a humanoid robot who wears advanced armor. When it comes to the mind he is an AI but at the same time not an AI. From my personal theory I presume he is akin to the Prometheans or even their leader since he is able to fully control them. He is cunning, deceptive, tactical and also honorable. When I worked on him with doctor Glassman we poked around in his mind which he called mind rape. He seems to be capable of emotions. He is indeed the leader of a new race called the Vex." She explained and let pictures of the Vex come to view. Eyes swept over the machines with awe and the slightest pang of fear.

"These new enemies are very dangerous and seem to be able to travel through dimensions. I have made a full grimoire on them and their abilities which will be spread throughout the UNSC in order to be prepared against them." She added.

"Doctor do we know if they have any types of vehicles?" General Strauss asked intrigued.

"Not that we know of. So far they have not needed to show any vehicles since there are types of Vex capable of flying and being walking tanks." Halsey answered truthfully.

"Could we perhaps reverse engineer their technology like we did with covenant tech?" General Hogan asked this time.

"I am afraid that would be a very bad idea. When we kill the Vex they leave no trace when they die. Even their weapons disintegrate into nothing along with the actual Vex body. This might be a safety measure or because they are not from this dimension. The only ones who were able to do so were the Forerunners and that was by simple observation. This process lasted years for them even with all their knowledge. Also I have a theory that if we accessed a Vex signal it could bring an entire army down on us." Halsey replied with a frown.

"These are simply theories." Osman said dismissively. Halsey's frown deepened but she refrained from speaking her mind.

"But a very valid theory considering the Vex." Glassman interjected quickly.

"Do we know what the Exo is capable of?" Hood asked this time.

"Oh yes we have some info on that subject. He is able to materialize weapons from thin air and use different types of energy to enhance his speed and attacks or even defense. He seems to have a monitor-like AI helping him." Glassman answered.

"Are you sure of this?" General Dellert inquired.

"The intel came from blue team and the Master Chief himself. We have footage of their fight." Halsey said and showed the fight between the Exo and blue team. The various officers were stunned to see the capabilities of the Exo to deal such damage to the legendary Spartan IIs even while he sustained wounds on his own.

"What was the status of blue team after the fight?" Hood asked concerned thinking about how the Chief was able to hold his own in a fight not to mention the other three Spartans.

"They were quite wounded especially Spartan Fred-104. He had various broken bones, burn marks and most of his armor was turned to molten scrap. The others were luckier but still had quite some broken bones. In the Chief's case a very nasty migraine due to the Exo's energy shield." Glassman said as he quickly looked at the medical report.

"If he could harm those Spartans that much he is very dangerous in battle alone. He has rallied all remaining factions of the Covenant and assimilated them into this new empire. Without a doubt he'll try to bring others into his 'civilization' including the human race. This peace treaty is probably a ruse so he can organize a large army to attack us." Osman said voicing her own opinion. Murmurs of agreement went through the room. The other members of the security council nodded in agreement as well. Hood silenced them as he stood up.

"I won't have to make a petition then. The UNSC will hereby be at full alert and prepare for any attacks by the Galactic Empire. More information will be distributed at a later date. You are all hereby dismissed." He said with finality and let everyone exit the room as they chatted amongst each other. Glassman stepped close to Halsey and was curious.

"Do you think that there will be a new war on a large scale?" He asked curiously since he saw Halsey as a wise person. She looked thoughtful for a moment before replying.

"Personally I think it will be humanity instigating a war." She said before walking off to her quarters on the station under surveillance by a security team to watch her, courtesy of admiral Osman.

Meanwhile in the hangar the stations' personnel went around doing their duties. Sitting on a few crates was no one else than John-117, humanity's savior. Said Spartan was reflecting on the events that transpired on Archeologis. He too believed in the Exo's honor. For him that robot was an enigma. He remembered that the Exo could be deceptive though. One thing kept bugging him. When they got the doctors back the Exo told him _"Let's just say you did something that has my gratitude."_ That line kept playing over and over again in his head. Why did an opponent he hadn't even met before have gratitude towards him? The Chief was confused by the AI. It also brought memories up about Cortana. He couldn't deny he still missed her. He was awoken from his musings when Thel sat on the crate in front of him.

"You seem troubled my friend. Has it to do with the recent events?" The wise warrior asked with a calm voice.

"I suppose." Came the short reply. Arbiter nodded at him in understanding.

"It must be relieving to know that your teammates will survive." Thel continued. John nodded this time.

"How are your people reacting to the Exo?" Chief asked curiously and a tad concerned. Thel's expression grew more serious and concerned in approximately 0.5 seconds.

"Things are not so well I'm afraid. More and more keeps with their kaidons are voicing their opinions on him. Some say they should join the Forerunner in his journey. The prophets lied about their great journey but that does not mean all Sangheili have abandoned their faith in the Forerunners. The most extreme joined the new Covenant and now they're probably part of this Galactic Empire. The peace we attained could be easily shattered now with the Exo's uprising." Thel replied with a sigh. He was weary of this and Chief saw that. His friend was a warrior but this political stress was tiring him. John fought for humanity but Thel was also a diplomat which exhausted the veteran.

"I suppose things will become worse." Linda said as she came around the corner and sat down on a crate as well.

"What is your insight then Spartan?" Thel asked curious to the sniper's opinion.

"With so much hatred for the Covenant and the recent skirmishes peace will be very unlikely. Especially now that people think the UNSC can win after defeating the old Covenant. They forget we're far from our original strength." Linda said.

"True, our own forces are sufficient for defense but an attack would leave us vulnerable." Thel spoke up clicking his mandibles.

"How are you and the rest?" Chief asked Linda with a hint of concern for his family.

"I'm fine, just need to take it easy for some time. Kelly and Fred will have to stay in the medbay for a while I'm afraid. Thank the doctor for giving us some good regeneration ability." Blue team's sniper answered curtly.

"I've been meaning to ask but how did the Exo sneak up to you?" John further asked inquisitively. Thel was interested as well. No one simply sneaks up to an attentive Spartan like that after all.

"I don't really know, one moment there was nothing and then he was there. As if he appeared out of nothing." Linda said confused.

"Perhaps a teleport system? These are not uncommon on Forerunner installations after all." Thel said after some time.

"Probably." Chief said remembering the time he and Cortana had used it while being on the first halo.

"Hey guys check this out!" A marine yelled to his squad attracting a lot of attention. The three looked in the marine's direction and saw many personnel huddled around a large TV showing a news reporter.

"Welcome back folks for this important message. As we all know two days ago a message was spread throughout the entire social media from the new leader of the Covenant. In this message this new leader declared that the Covenant was to change into a Galactic Empire. This person appeared to be a long-lost Forerunner who got into a skirmish with the UNSC. In his speech he said he wanted to make peace with the UEG and the Sangheili. Tomorrow there will be a debate whether we should accept or not. Many people have gathered around the governmental building in Sydney. We have our reporter there on site who has interacted with them. Joanna can you hear us?" The man said before the screen showed a woman standing close to a large group of people who seemed to be protesting.

"Yes I can hear you loud and clear David. I am standing at the governmental building here in Sydney and I have talked to those who have gathered here. Apparently many are protesting against the proposed peace treaty while others want the president to accept. The police have arrived to make sure no violence breaks out but so far there has been some tension." The news reporter calmly said.

"And has the president given any information so far?" David asked. Joanna shook her head.

"Unfortunately no. All we know is that right now some senators and representatives have talked to each other about the proposed peace treaty. They were very clear that tomorrow would be the official debate and that we would know as soon as possible." Came the answer from the reporter.

"Anything else to know about the protestants?"

"There has been talk about deceit of this new empire and that there should be an immediate assault on them. Others are saying that this is a chance to lay down arms and make sure peace is the main priority. There were even some talking about an alliance with this empire." Joanna added.

"Alright then, thank you Joanna for briefing us on the situation in Sydney. Before we end this important news report there is still a subject about some of the outer colonies. On some of the colonial planets there has been peaceful protest against the construction of more factories for war equipment and conscription. Especially on the planet Terma against the governor there. The people are angry with the new taxes. Apparently many cannot afford the taxes and are forced to find alternatives such as joining the military. There has been talk about armed conflict but these are just rumors according to the governor. There is no need to panic and the UEG has assured that they will look into the matter. This was our news report and have a good day." The man said before the program ended. The marines and workers dispersed chatting with each other about the new events.

"It appears that there is lack of unity at the moment." Thel mused.

"I thought this conscription was stopped now the war has ended?" The Chief asked confused. He was referring to a necessary conscription when there were not enough soldiers.

"Mostly yes but it happens from time to time. It's an alternative when you can't afford taxes like they said on the news." Linda explained since Chief hadn't the time yet to catch up with certain events.

"I suppose it is time for me to leave. Within the hour my forces and I will return to Sanghelios to convene with the high council. May you win your battles Spartans." Arbiter said as he stood up and bowed slightly before he left. The two Spartans said goodbye as well before they headed to the medbay to check up on their family.

…..

Reya walked through the halls with the intention to find Soundwave. She had been talking with the leader of a former covenant faction. They had arrived with an entire fleet to join the empire. Soundwave gladly welcomed them and made sure the sentinels would build new homes for them. He had been working for two days straight and gave heed to every need of the people. He had made some changes in the command structures and ordered every species to elect five representatives for a council. Her uncle was tasked with giving more military training to the troops especially the grunts. As she walked through the large hallways of the citadel she passed many others and the occasional promethean patrol. Whenever she passed someone they would always salute her. She had to admit she was a bit flustered because of that but since she was one of Soundwave's hands she deserved the respect. The door to the command center slid open allowing her to step inside. The only occupants were the grunt twins and Diablo along with Ghost. They were standing close to a terminal which showed a holographic image of some sort of vehicle. It was foreign to her so she would ask about it later. Ghost was the first to notice her.

"Hey there Reya. Can we help you with something?" Ghost asked cheerily.

"If you know where the emperor is then yes." She answered. Ghost chuckled a bit about the emperor thing but helped her.

"He's probably in his quarters now. He recently had a meeting with some shipmasters about an expedition. With all the work he has done I think he's up for some recharge so please tell him that will you." Ghost said slightly concerned about his partner's wellbeing. Reya nodded to assure him.

"I will do that Ghost. What are you actually working on?" Reya questioned and pointed at the hologram.

"Ah that's a little task I got from soundwave. We're busy with designing new war equipment. But you don't have to worry about it, the presentation is within less than an hour. We were just checking up on it in case we missed something or made a mistake." Ghost said with pride that they already came up with ideas.

"Then I will let you return to your work." Reya said before she left to Soundwave's quarters.

She had to go up since those quarters were at the top of the citadel. She came to the lift which was again guarded by two promethean soldiers. The defensive AI stepped aside and saluted allowing her to enter the lift. With a push on the button the lift rose up with surprising speed. She arrived and stepped outside. There was only a small hall with a path that led to the door of Soundwave's place. On each side of the path were five precursor goblins with pikes and rifles. She passed them and typed the security code so she could go inside. Her eyes gazed upon the large room with at the end a desk. Behind it was a window allowing one to look upon the base. In the chair sat the newly appointed emperor Soundwave also known as the Exo. Said exo was busy with cataloging supplies. Luckily for him he could do most work that took normally hours in mere minutes thanks to his AI capabilities. The downside was that since his brain was a copy of the original biologic one he experienced frustration and a lot of other emotions. At the moment he was experiencing mental fatigue and boredom. When the door had opened his head shot up quickly and he smiled when he saw it was Reya.

"Reya, welcome. I assume everything went well?" He asked just to get some conversation.

"All went well my emper-" She said but stopped her sentence when Soundwave rose a metal plate that acted as an eyebrow. "I mean of course Soundwave." She corrected. Soundwave had explicitly told her to call him by his name in private.

"Good to hear. The additional forces have already been saved in the catalogue and extra supplies will be distributed to make them feel at home. Now how have you been for the last two days? I've been in many meetings and have been working a lot so I didn't have the time to talk. Sorry about that. I do enjoy talking to you." He said slightly apologetic at the end. Reya was honored to know that the Forerunner liked to talk with her.

"It's nothing, I've been busy as well with my position as commander of the army. It does bring a lot of stress you know." Reya said playfully with mock agitation. She froze when she realized what she had just said since he gave her the position after all. Soundwave regarded her for a moment making her nervous but then he erupted with laughter. Reya was glad he didn't take it as an insult.

"Well I will make sure to reprimand the one who gave you that excruciating job." He responded playfully as well with a smirk. Reya chuckled a bit too.

"I also came here to check up on you. Ghost told me you needed some 'recharge' as he said it." She spoke up. Soundwave smiled once again at her.

"Why thank you for the concern Reya I appreciate it. I suppose I should do that soon. My reserves are getting low even with the short naps I took. After the meeting which will take place soon I'll take you up on the advice. Come, let us speak in better surroundings than an office.." Soundwave replied standing up and gesturing to the door that led to his living room. She went in followed by him and they both sat down in the metallic couch.

"So how have people actually been reacting to your appointment as supreme commander?" Soundwave questioned. He had read a file about her stating she was the best from her training group and her past missions. She had an excellent record showing battle prowess and the ability to lead. But of course he was aware how most Sangheili thought females not to be as competent in battle.

"Some are grumbling and muttering but most accepted the decision. They know I'm only in charge of the army while shipmaster Mdama is commander of the navy." She responded neutrally. A few warriors had shown their distaste but due to her good reputation with the other species she was accepted. Her whole former battlegroup had been transferred except for the grunt twins and received a new zealot to lead them but they were still fiercely loyal to her and did not appreciate any slander about their previous officer.

"That's good, if you have any issues just come to me and I'll take care of it. Sitting here in that office has been torture. All that paperwork is pure hell. I sometimes get complaints that the Jiralhanae did something wrong again or that a fight has erupted. Sometimes I just don't get why some of the races have problems with the other. The Kig-Yar look upon the Unggoy with distaste and the Sangheili have a rivalry with the Jiralhanae. Luckily I don't have to deal personally with it. The Prometheans are excellent at their police job and just a message from me directed to them can stop the fighting." Soundwave said with a hint of frustration. Reya listened attentively knowing he needed some company.

"Well the great schism brought bad blood between the races. The prophets never really solved these problems. It was to have more control I suppose." Reya said with venom in her voice when she mentioned the prophets.

"I guess so. Hey Reya, I've been wanting to ask but never got the time really so how is Rudo your uncle when you're not real family?" Soundwave asked intrigued.

"Well it's because he was a very good friend of my parents. They were both warriors and perished at the hands of the humans in battle. I was young when it happened and when it did I was heartbroken. Uncle Rudo was their officer so he felt responsible for their deaths, he still does I think. After the battle he went to Sanghelios to bring the news and after a long debate he took me with him. He told me how to fight and all kinds of other knowledge. I still remember how I would run around on the cruiser with him chasing me because of a little prank I pulled. He sees me as family and I see him the same way." Reya answered melancholy with a heavy heart. Soundwave nodded in understanding.

"Sorry about your parents but I also believe family is not determined by blood alone. Where I come from I think of some of my teammates as family as well." He said truthfully.

"If I may ask, would you tell me about where you come from?" Reya asked.

"Ah I suspected you would ask me that sooner or later. Well where I come from is a different dimension. I protected earth from the forces of darkness. Creatures who were bent on destroying the Traveler, a large white sphere who's also a technological god and gave me new abilities. I worked with a fireteam of three and fought many battles." Soundwave said not going into details at all. It puzzled Reya why he did not tell more. Was it because he did not want to or something else?

"And what kind of battles?" Reya asked. Soundwave looked a bit confused before answering.

"Some were secret operations. I remember been installed with additional equipment for such tasks. I fought mostly against the Vex and the Hive. The Hive are an undead species and direct servants to the Darkness. I remember their strengths and weaknesses as well. But I cannot remember more." Soundwave said slightly depressed with the fact he was suffering from minor amnesia.

"You cannot remember? What about your friends?" She further asked.

"I remember their faces but not their names. We were all exos, I'm sure of that." Soundwave responded. Reya felt bad for him.

"Well if they were as eccentric as you they must have been quite a bunch." Reya said trying to lift his spirits. It worked as he laughed.

"Oh no, they were normal compared to me. It's because of my mind you see. Somehow I got different personality traits in one package. It's why they sometimes called me Random. From crazy to cold personalities so they came randomly to me. It mostly happens when I'm low on energy. An example was the boasting towards that captain of the 'Infinity' when I destroyed many of his ships." Soundwave explained chuckling a bit. It somehow actually explained a few things to her. Before she could say anything Soundwave's comm went off.

"Looks like we're going to the meeting now. Let's go." He said and left with Reya at his side.

They went through the door and when they passed a Precursor it would automatically follow. They entered the thankfully spacious lift and went to the floor where the conference room was. Upon arrival they saw that many had gathered. The room was full with military leaders to political leaders from every species. Soundwave went to the small stage and had everyone sit down in the large room which housed at least a hundred people. The Precursors stood guard to show the presence of the Vex. When it was completely quiet Soundwave was ready to begin. He let a holographic view appear showing the new logo of the empire. The same logo was shown on holographic banners decorating the base. With a red background it was a black hexagon and within a black circle which had needles pointing inwardly.

"Welcome everyone to this meeting concerning our military strength. I want to thank those who have heeded the call of the empire and joined us. Your addition will aid in establishing our ideals. With this support came also your ships, weapons, equipment and soldiers. Unfortunately, I believe that is not enough. For this empire to work I envision a grand army. An army that will protect the empire's citizens and be a beacon of hope, not of oppression. As you all know I have asked humanity to accept a peace treaty but to be honest I think it will fail. However, it should at least give us time to expand our army and prepare for an eventual war. For this I have been searching for a solution. I am glad to tell you I have found one." Soundwave began gaining the room's occupants their attention rather easily. The image changed to that of a few planets.

"These planets are Forerunner planets. None of them have been found by the UNSC or the Covenant yet. These planets are strategical planets for multiple reasons. The first one is Geonosis." The image of a brown planet enlarged.

"This is a barren rock with sand dunes. At first sight unimpressive but what is important is that underneath those rocks are multiple factories which were used in wars. They are able to produce war equipment at a fast rate and thanks to position of its system it is not close to space of the UNSC nor Sanghelios. It is not suitable for population but great for production. However due to the large caverns I believe it is a perfect settling point for the Yanme'e." Soundwave explained gaining excited murmurs from the crowd. Then the image of a red planet appeared with obvious lava streams.

"Next on the list is Mustafar. Just like Geonosis it is not close to other systems of the UNSC. This planet is hazardous and dangerous because of the lave rivers and eruptions. The only advantage gained by obtaining this planet is because of the resources and raw materials on the planet and those surrounding Mustafar. These supplies will prove necessary to our cause." Soundwave said showing the various landscapes. After that came a planet which looked marvelous and beautiful.

"This is Alderaan. No military or production advantages but rather for people. This planet has little danger and lies close to another similar planet called Naboo. Both are perfect for colonization. It will be an objective to populate these planets and protect them. As you can see not all planets I'm showing are for military purpose. A flaw that the previous Covenant had was to neglect the needs of the people and rather focus on war." Soundwave explained getting looks of shame and approval.

"Now does anyone recognize this?" Soundwave asked and showed a moon.

"That's Archeologis' moon!" An Unggoy representative squeaked.

"Indeed it is. The moon which is orbiting this planet is similar to the one of earth, the humans their main planet, but this moon has a more complex function. It is actually a shipyard that we will use to enlarge the fleet. By my calculations in only three days we'll have new ships up and running. The shipyards are also capable of producing war equipment such as tanks. The energy generators on Archeologis will create the necessary power supplies. Now all of this will take resources so I suggest we begin our colonization as soon as possible for more supplies." Soundwave said with a smirk and heard many excited whispers. When he was done many started clapping and cheering.

"Now there are more planets to colonize but I'll give the intel on those to the groups who will colonize them. The next part of this presentation will be the revealing of new weapons designed by my faithful companion Ghost." Soundwave said before he let Ghost take the stage.

"As most of you know, the UNSC has upgraded their arsenal over the years while the Covenant had less improvements. After scanning the humans their database, I pulled out some schematics to their weapons and vehicles. I combined these with our tech and came to some new armaments." Ghost explained and showed the first hologram.

It showed a vehicle on four legs resembling those of a spider with three pincer-like claws as feet. The legs connected in the middle which was a platform. On that platform was the main body, an armored cockpit for two in the middle, two plasma machine guns on each side and two plasma mortars on each side as well at the top while the guns were situated at the lower front. (See Ratchet and Clank gladiator 'landstalker')

"This is the landstalker. This vehicle is a walker like the scarab and by utilizing its claws it can attach to any surface with the help of magnets at the bottom. These rapid-fire plasma guns are able to damage infantry and even light armored vehicles such as the warthog or even aircraft. The plasma mortars have in each three launchers. In one shot you can launch six plasma mortar explosives. While charging they are able to lock onto targets. It also has a deflector shield to make up for its light armor. They can sprint as well." Ghost explained going into detail as he showed the new vehicle. Many were impressed by the machine and couldn't wait for the first prototype.

The next image was of what seemed like a Seraph. This one however was broader and at least two times as long. It also sported two short wings in the middle. On each wing was a small plasma cannon. On the top of the airborne vehicle was a gunner position and also on the belly and the tail. On the front where the cockpit was there were also two twin plasma guns. On each wing were also what appeared to be boxes full with missiles.

"I give you the type-61 multirole gunship/bomber or to put it easy the 'dusk' bomber. It functions both as a bomber and gunship. It sports two twin plasma guns for standard attacks. On the top and beneath along in the back are three plasma turrets similar to those of the shade turret. Obviously their main task is to eliminate enemy fighters. It has a stronger shield than standard fighters. With two plasma cannons on the end of the wings and also missile launchers it is designed for optimal destruction. The missiles consist of the standard plasma missiles but also solar, void and arc missiles. These missiles are the same as the bombs the dusk is equipped with. The arc bombs are highly effective against shields and work as EMPs. The solar bombs are effective against infantry due to their ability to cover large amounts of ground and burn the enemy. The void bombs are effective against vehicles such as ships but also tanks. Two pilots are required along with three gunners. There also has to be a sixth operative to determine when the bombs need to be dropped and also has to be in charge of communications or even repairing damage." Ghost summarized showing all weapons and the inside of the dusk.

Next up was what looked like the standard scorpion tank the UNSC used except for some major changes. For instance, the four tread pods were replaced with boosted gravity propulsion drives. The cannon was put in the middle and lowered like the human tanks used around the 21th century. At the front you could see a plasma turret sticking out of the ramp. On top of the turret with the cannon installed was another plasma turret. On each side of the main turret was a fuel rod launcher.

"This is the type-60 direct engagement battle tank or more easily put the 'panzer'. A plasma cannon similar to the cannon of the humans. Two turrets, one in front and one on top. Two fuel rod launchers on each side. This tank will go into battle to make a path for our forces. It has software to aid in acquiring targets and both plasma turrets can be switched from fast and light plasma bullets to slower but heavy plasma bullets. The armor on this tank is also of high quality. It's a beauty isn't she? Well that was what we came up with for now. We are already busy with designing more and they will be produced soon enough." Ghost said admiring the tank some more.

"As you can see these three vehicles will become new instruments in our military. Now today I was finally able to get the factories on the planet and on the moon up and running. I hope that within the week our forces will be enlarged and better equipped in case humanity wishes to destroy us. There are already prototypes of these vehicles on the way for test purposes. I have personally selected the personnel to man these new weapons. I have also made the training courses and simulations to train warriors for these vehicles." Soundwave said as he made himself known again. His gaze swept over the crowded room and was happy to see hopeful faces. But now he would have to ask the most hated question.

"Any questions?" Soundwave asked dreadfully and sure enough many hands rose up in the air. He stifled a groan and answered the curious persons.

…..

Today was the day. Fleet admiral Terrence Hood thought this while he was sitting in his seat at the debate. Various politicians had been gathered and were awaiting the arrival of the recently elected president Vasari Rodriguez. The man was in his fifties and had the support of the people since he was a retired ODST. The man was strict and another reason why he had been chosen president was the hatred he had for the Covenant. Many sought retribution and he would give it to them. When he entered the large conference room he got applause from the politicians. He thanked them and sat down. He began his speech.

"Fellow leaders of humanity, as you all know recently an interesting change was made. The hated Covenant was brought under new leadership and transformed itself into the Galactic Empire. Their new emperor is a living Forerunner, the race that died out thousands of years ago and left their technology to us. This Exo says he wants peace, an ideal which many have tried to obtain for so long. But I must tell you that I personally cannot see how he wants peace. Even if they have taken another name our opponents will always be the same Covenant which glassed our planets, our homes, our friends and our family. The Sangheili left the Covenant at the end of the war and aided us to beat the Covenant. They realized that the Covenant was corrupt. Now this corruption thinks that it can just change its name and expects us to go along with it. This proposed peace will be nothing more but a period of time that the Exo will use to reform the Covenant's former strength. I hereby propose to formally declare war on the Galactic Empire and have our military strengthened to oppose this threat!" Vasari said with conviction and the flair of a politician. People rose from their seats clapping and showing their agreement while others such as Hood simply frowned. He didn't like this turn of events at all. Various politicians coming from outer colonies were unhappy as well, at least those who actually cared for the people.

People began voting and the votes were counted. The proposal of war was in favor and so it was passed.

On television all across UEG space one could see the declaration of war. Troops were being mobilized and fleets were being prepared. Hood himself oversaw the ships headed towards outer colonies for reinforcements. He was frustrated because he knew that the colonists were going to be far from happy. They would have to put up with the UNSC forces occupying the fields and the bases. People would have to go through checkpoints and that would create unrest. It didn't help that there were still insurrection cells there. Things were bound to go out of control. Hood cursed the stupidity of the people he was sworn to protect. They weren't back to their former military strength and they would feel it soon enough. That was something he knew for sure.

Admiral Osman grinned as she saw the departure of the fleets and troops from inside the headquarters of ONI. The headquarters of the organization was a destroyer-sized prowler-class starship the UNSC 'Point of No Return' used as a command vessel and a secure conference location. Of course a conference was at place there in that sinister place. The room was dimly lit and only the most prestigious and powerful ONI directors were there.

"As you can see our influence on the president is still as strong as ever. No one has a clue we had a hand in this political debate. With his aid we shall protect humanity as we always did, from the shadows." She said sinisterly. The dark figures agreed wholeheartedly and were excited for the upcoming events.

…..

"So they refused." Soundwave stated plainly. He had seen the news conference where that idiot of a president declared full war on him. He was sitting behind his desk at the top of the citadel. He was accompanied by Reya, the grunt twins, Rudo and Jul 'Mdama. Ghost and Diablo were hovering behind him. He felt agitated to say the least at how the humans had thrown away his peace offering. He now knew these were not the same as those from the last city. These were enemies.

"They will undoubtedly come to attack us." Jul voiced his opinion. He received a nod from his emperor.

"Oh they will and this time they'll probably send strike teams to disable our cannons. Then they'll come in with their main fleet and bombard us." Soundwave said.

"Their forces are rallying as we speak. Our intelligence report from Reach says they are gathering forces." Ghost added. Rudo looked confused.

"I was unaware we had spies there?" He asked not understanding how they were able to gather intel on the enemy in their own space.

"Another new asset." Ghost responded bringing up the image of a droid. "This is the viper probe droid. It measures 1.6 meters in height with six manipulator arms extending from a central pod and several retractable sensor arms. It has sensors covering the domed head—including motion, acoustic, sonic, and seismic sensors, a radiation meter, magnetic imager, and camera. It is able of slipspace travel and has invisibility hardware. We're going to use it to gain intelligence on the enemy just like they do with their prowlers." Ghost explained. Rudo was liking the new toys more and more.

"What will be our course of action my lord?" Tipo asked.

"For now we'll mobilize our forces. The colonization attempts are underway and thanks to the construction sentinels we'll have buildings set up at a fast rate. The production of new war equipment is also underway at a good pace. The new ships have already linked up with the fleet and our new vehicles are being loaded up. I have received a message from Sanghelios that they wish to meet me. I plan on leaving within two hours. I'm leaving Archeologis in Jul's hands while Rudo and Reya will accompany me. Tipo and Timo will oversee the production efforts along with Diablo. Further orders will be given later." Soundwave swiftly explained. The occupants of the room understood and would carry out the orders.

"My emperor I also need to inform you that we have transported the Vex units to the nearby planet as you commanded." Jul reported. The mentioned planet was in the same system of Archeologis. It was a dead planet with no value whatsoever. It was decided that the Vex would go there to create a world of their own.

"Thank you Jul, the Vex will begin transforming it allowing us to call more of them to our cause." Soundwave answered. 'Mdama nodded and bid him farewell before leaving.

"Sir there is word from the prisoner camp. The leader of the humans wishes to speak with you." Timo informed dutifully.

"I see, tell the guards to await my arrival. Let's go Reya. Prepare the transport while we're gone." Soundwave instructed and stood up as he left with Reya in tow. Once again the precursor guards followed.

On their way out they passed various soldiers doing their daily routine. They took one of the recently activated trams to get out of the mountain. When they exited it Soundwave gazed over the newly constructed buildings. The constructor sentinels were fast and efficient in building new homes for the arriving citizens. There was also the fact that he had created a large boulevard through which a scarab could march. In only a few days a lot of buildings had been constructed at a fast rate. Every house was designed after its occupants' culture. Because of this each species had its own district around the mountain. They passed the houses and streets to reach the airbase. A phantom was already waiting for them. The pilot greeted the group and took off. The dropship flew through the air towards the north where a prisoner facility had been erected. The prison slowly got into view.

It was also build inside a mountain which stood on a cliff. The Forerunner complex was large with various cells. It was only accessible from the bridge that connected the entrance to the main land. Any other attempt would be too dangerous due to the sharp cliffs. Diablo had proposed to use this facility after the prisoners were gathered around. Soundwave had allowed his enemies to gather the wounded and dead to leave but had taken prisoners nonetheless. At the beginning of the bridge were two guard towers, each a switch which would have to be used at the same time to activate the bridge. There was no way to get out unless you activated that bridge making an outbreak futile. The phantom landed next to the security building. A brute chieftain stood there with two majors at his side. First the Vex exited and took formation before Soundwave and Reya could exit. The chieftain placed a fist over his chest and kneeled. His majors followed the gesture.

"I welcome you my emperor. I have the leader of the prisoners apart in an interrogation room waiting for you." The brute said respectfully. Soundwave gestured for him and his men to rise.

"I appreciate the effort warden Cossus. Take me to the prisoner." Soundwave ordered. The warden nodded and yelled for the bridge to activate.

The jackals on the towers did so and activated the bridge. They walked across it and went through the reinforced gate. He saw multiple plasma turrets placed to aid in security. Along with the Prometheans inside it was one of the most secured prisons that there were on the planet. They went through the large hallway and had to pass multiple doors to finally get to the interrogation center. Behind a screen that one could only look through from one side was the leader of the prisoners. Soundwave went through his own databanks to identify the man as a certain 'sergeant Kowalski'. The man sat on his chair with courage and determination. Aspects that Soundwave himself appreciated. He entered the room along with Reya.

"So you're the Exo huh." The sergeant stated.

"And you're sergeant Kowalski, you served the UNSC for a long time and have been imprisoned by the Covenant two times." Soundwave retorted as he sat down on the opposite chair. Reya stood to his right with her arms crossed. If the veteran was surprised he didn't show it.

"That's me." Came the gruff reply. Both males stared at each other for some time.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Soundwave finally asked.

"I want to know what's going to happen to us." The sergeant said. Soundwave thought about it for some time before answering.

"For now nothing. If you expect torture then you're mistaken. The situation does not call for it nor do I have any interest in it. I'll try to make sure you get treated fairly as long as you behave." The exo said. Kowalski's stoic face faltered for the slightest moment but recomposed itself.

"Alright then, so we'll just have to deal with being prisoners of the empire then." Kowalski said knowing that he was dealing with the emperor himself.

"Anything else you wish to talk to me about?" Soundwave asked casually. The veteran shook his head.

"Good, I'll have you escorted back to your cell." Soundwave said and allowed two of the guards to do it. The sergeant was escorted out of the room back to his cell by the brutes but Soundwave stayed around to inspect the prison and had to discipline some brutes who harassed the prisoners. Needless to say he did this by example. The offending brutes would be staying in the medbay for a while.

Soundwave passed by a room where various marines were chatting with each other. He pulled out a medical report and scrolled through it. His optics landed on a particular male. It said that there was a Spartan here as well. This intrigued the exo and he began to read more about him while accessing the records he had obtained from the 'Infinity' database. The more he read the more he was impressed. The man had a tan and black hair with brown eyes. The man's record showed that he was very good at the job of a soldier. He followed orders perfectly, was disciplined, could carry out multiple tasks, quick learner and loyal to his cause. A grin crept up on his face. This man was perfect for a secret project he had. He came here to talk but for another reason as well. Luckily he got what he came for.

"Warden Cossus, I will sent monitor Diablo here with a team to have some business with this prisoner. You will do as he say and make sure that nothing goes wrong. This is an important matter to the empire. I hope you will do well." Soundwave said as they went back to the landing platform.

"It shall be done my emperor. I will also see to it that the prisoners remain unharmed." The chieftain vowed.

They bid their farewell to warden Cossus and entered the phantom again. This time they headed towards orbit. When they exited the atmosphere they were greeted by the imposing sight of a super carrier which acted as the flagship of Jul 'Mdama. The CAS-class assault carrier Song of Retribution was ready for departure and once they were at the bridge the ship left through slipspace with Sanghelios as destination followed by other ships.

…..

Ambassador William Robertson was sitting in his office filing out some documents like usual. The middle-aged ambassador was at the embassy on Sanghelios. The Arbiter had allowed the humans to set it up along with a base on his home planet to strengthen diplomatic ties. William was thinking about the war between the new Galactic Empire and the UEG. An ONI officer along with her own squad had been sent to monitor the Sangheili in case they took the empire's side in this battle. The marines were distrustful of the spook and so was he. The woman had this air of pure arrogance and pulled rank whenever she could. She insisted on being present on multiple meetings between him and the Sangheili leaders. Of course she had sometimes slightly insulted the aliens almost intentionally. He growled as he remembered the incident when she refused to greet a kaidon. The man had snarled and looked disdainfully the rest of the meeting. William once more sighed when he finished the reports. He was about to take a break from his hard work but a marine suddenly bursted through the door with a frantic look.

"Sir we have a major problem!" The marine shouted frantically. William was alarmed at the sudden distress.

"What is it soldier?!" He asked sternly. The man regained some composure as he reported.

"A super carrier along with four other battleships came out of slipspace some minutes ago. They belong to the empire!" Was the answer the ambassador got.

William now understood the distress from the marine. He hurried to the window and looked up to the sky. Indeed just above orbit were ships from the empire. He tried to find a reason to why they would come here. Was it to drop some superweapon on them? Or worse, was it to rally Sanghelios to their cause? William understood that this was very problematic and wasted no time to get to the communicator on his desk. He told the marine to have everyone on the base ready for some attack. The marine saluted before sprinting off. William entered his password on the screen and hurried to contact UNSC headquarters. It took some time giving the ambassador time to calm down. Panicking wouldn't help. He urged the machine to go faster and finally saw the visage of a navy officer.

"Ambassador Robertson, to what does UNSC headquarters own this pleasure?" The officer said carefree with a smile. The man had no idea how important this call actually was.

"I need to relay a message to Lord Hood at once." William said urgently. The officer chuckled a bit in response.

"The fleet admiral is a very busy man ambassador, you'll have to make an appointment." The officer replied. William then lost his composure and all but yelled his next line.

"I have no time for this bullshit! The empire has arrived at Sanghelios!" William shouted in fear. The officer lost his smile and became very serious in that instance.

"I'll patch you through now." He said as he typed on something. William was glad the man got serious. Every damned second counted. The screen changed and now it showed the aged face of Lord Hood.

"Ambassador, what is it that's so urgent I had to postpone a meeting with one of my admirals?" The fleet admiral questioned irritated but slightly curious.

"Sir, a few minutes ago a super carrier along with escorts belonging to the empire exited slipspace above Sanghelios. We have no idea why they are here." William replied nervously. Hood visibly cursed and looked alarmed.

"Have the Sangheili told you about anything?" Hood asked. William shook his head but then a message popped up. It was from the Sangheili high council. William looked at it and widened his eyes.

"They just have sir." He said meekly.

"Spit it out then." Hood ordered.

"The empire is here to negotiate with the Sangheili. They want us to stay at our base and not interfere with the negotiation." William responded. Hood cursed again. This probably meant that the Sangheili would remain neutral in this war. They must have intentionally delayed the notification.

"Look ambassador, the arbiter probably won't let the empire come near your position but you must stay vigilant. I will notify the rest of command of this developments. Hood out." The fleet admiral ordered. William nodded and began notifying the rest of the base.

This whole time William and Hood were victims of ONI's hidden listening devices inside the room. Sara Michelle had been listening the whole time. The ONI agent hurried to her own room to make contact with her own superiors. She made sure it was a secure line and met another admiral. ONI leader admiral Serin Osman sat behind her desk with her arms crossed and a stoic look plastered on her face.

"Report." She said coldly with a business-like tone. Sara saluted and stood at attention.

"Ma'am, around ten minutes ago the empire arrived on Sanghelios. Apparently the Sangheili and empire wish to negotiate with each other. They intentionally delayed telling the embassy of this." She reported with a monotone voice. Osman frowned and scowled.

"Do you know who the empire's representative is?" She asked with hard gaze. The cold aura coming from Osman made Sara feel nervous.

"No ma'am."

"Then get your team ready and spy on them. I want to know everything that is going on out there. Failure is not an option." Osman ordered harshly clearly not happy. Sara nodded and saluted.

…..

Thel stood at the landing platform waiting for the arrival of the new emperor. He had to admit that he did not expect these turn of events. When the high council had made their decision he didn't know what to think. At one point he felt like just killing the Covenant remnants but from what he heard the changes the Exo brought were genuine. Unggoy were no longer used as slaves and treated equally in the empire. Even he never thought in his wildest dreams that such a thing was possible. The elders who still believed in the Forerunners, just like most Sangheili, wanted to meet the Exo. His battle prowess had reached even their ears so they we even more excited. The arbiter didn't know what to think. He still had some faith in the Forerunners, he could not deny that, but he was concerned if the Exo was evil like the Didact. Though it didn't make sense. Up until now all he knew indicated that the Exo was honorable, a trait which was extremely important in the newly formed Sangheili government. With a sigh he once again looked up at the sky to see the five covenant, no, imperial ships. In the past he would shoot them on sight but now he couldn't. This meeting was to show their decision whether to fight or not in this new war. He was not happy with rash decision of the human leader but it sounded logical in a way. Humans were never proficient in putting their hate aside.

His thoughts were disturbed due to a guard pointing at the sky. As he followed the direction the guard pointed he saw three phantoms heading towards them. When the phantoms got closer he was surprised to see that they were not purple. In fact it was a grey which didn't look dull. It was even close to silver. The air vehicles were escorted by five banshees. The transports descended and slowed down when they reached the platform. The two phantoms on the side were the first to unload its contents. Elites began to exit and assume a formation in front of their phantoms. From each phantom came elite minors and one major. The minors stood behind their major and stood at attention. When the lead phantom opened up they all turned to the side and brought their fists to their chests in greeting. Out of the phantom came the precursors first. Five at each side stood in a row with rifles and pikes ready. Two Promethean knights materialized as well at the beginning of the rows. Thel was impressed by the professionalism that the troops displayed. It appeared that they had found a purpose and resolve again.

His eyes darted to the figure that leaved the vehicle with confidence in his strides. The man was only slightly shorter than an average Sangheili, standing close to the height of a demon. The weird but powerful black armor displayed some battle scars. Behind the man came a female Sangheili at his side dressed as a zealot while the one on his left was a male. The male wore golden armor displaying his rank as a general. Thel recognized the man to be Rudo 'Vongam, a man he talked with before. The girl he did not recognize although her features were familiar. The black figure stopped before him. Thel gazed at the purple line on the helmet and knew this was a warrior who had managed to survive not only the Master Chief but the rest of the legendary blue team as well.

"Greetings, mighty arbiter, it is an honor to meet you." The armored figure said placing a fist over his chest and bowing slightly. Thel returned the greeting in respect.

"It is an honor to meet the last Forerunner as well." He said. Soundwave gestured to his companions.

"May I introduce you to my friends, Rudo 'Vongam and Reya 'Redam." Soundwave politely introduced them. Rudo and Reya greeted the arbiter as well who also greeted them. Thel stood aside and extended an arm to the large building that acted as the high council's keep.

"Come, the high council awaits us." Thel said and waited for Soundwave to follow. Reya and Rudo followed as well with the precursors in tow while the other guards remained with the ships.

They walked through hallways with Sangheili art on them. It differed from runes to poems and even paintings or carvings. Soundwave took it all in and was impressed with the Sangheili culture. The burgundy clad Sangheili all bowed when they passed and watched in awe at the last Forerunner with his Vex. Thel took in the details of the Vex. They were not like the ones he had met on the battlefield. These were on a whole other level. Their silver-white frames were unscratched and looked sturdy. Their pikes had concentrated plasma on the top and looked as dangerous as that of an energy sword. They walked in perfect sync and looked even more dangerous than the Promethean soldier in his opinion. Eventually they got to large doors with Sangheili runes carefully engraved in it. The honor guards pushed the doors open for them. Within were the Sangheili kaidons and elders gathered. They sat in an amphitheater with on the stage seats for the highest ranking leaders. Soundwave went to his spot with his companions following him. The arbiter took his place at his own seat and begun.

"We are gathered here to discuss with the Galactic Empire which has been formed out of the old Covenant remains. Their emperor, the last Forerunner known as the Exo, is here because we asked him to. We will discuss how our two societies will handle each other. The emperor has asked for peace and after many debates we have chosen to accept it. With his arrival the Covenant has been officially terminated along with the prophets their vile teachings. All that is left to do is to talk about things such as trade for example. I give the word to the emperor." The arbiter said in his speech. The kaidons and elders all nodded in approval, satisfied with the end of the Covenant.

"I thank you all for accepting this peace. Even while the humans have declined I am filled with joy that the proud Sangheili have decided to stop this senseless fighting. I will personally make sure that the prophets' influence will be eradicated and that the empire will not attack Sangheili soil. I too wish for our people to get along with each other and the threat of armed conflict to be subdued. Mark my words, this peace will give both of our civilizations immense great opportunities never seen before." Soundwave agreed wholeheartedly and happy that at least they had accepted the peace proposal. There would still be tensions and he knew that him being a Forerunner was one of the only things getting respect from the Sangheili. Satisfied with their decision he was all too happy to begin discussing important matters.

"Then let us get on with it and bring the news to the people of Sanghelios later." The arbiter said with a smile and cheers from the council.

On top of the roof however, someone else was far from happy. Sara clenched her teeth in anger after hearing what the arbiter had said through her listening device. The rest of the meeting was not as important as informing her boss of what had just transpired. She quickly typed something into her communicator and once again saw the face of Osman.

"Report operative." Osman demanded with that same cold voice.

"Ma'am, it's not good. The arbiter and his council have declared peace with the empire and are putting up trade agreements etc. What should we do?" Sara asked. Osman let her cold demeanor slip for a moment but it was enough for Sara to see that the woman was absolutely livid. She felt a shudder travel up her spine just looking at the barely hidden fury.

"What are they going to do when they are done?" Osman asked.

"They will give the news to the other Sangheili, probably on the grand stage of the plaza." Sara answered. She then saw the dark look in Osman's eyes.

"You will assassinate that emperor if you can. If not you will sabotage or frame him. Osman out." The head of ONI ordered and cut off communications so there wouldn't be any debate.

Sara gulped knowing if she failed at this she would have nasty things done to her by ONI. At worst she would be send to one of the secret facilities to rot away in darkness. She could not fail in her mission. She left the roof and gave her squad tasks to carry out. The Exo emperor would die at ONI's hands or she would.

…..

"And with that the treaty has been signed and enacted. May our people prosper in coming times." Arbiter said as the document was signed by both him and soundwave.

The two leaders showed each other a sign of respect and heard the clapping of the council. Many cheered and roared as the treaty was finally done. Reya clapped as well, in fact the clapping had awoken her since she was sort of daydreaming through the last part. Not that she wanted to be disrespectful but after the most important matters were done she was bored. Her uncle clearly shared her thoughts as he had a dazed look and almost jumped after hearing it was done. With the work done all they had to do was go outside and attend to the public. The arbiter gestured towards the door and they went back through the hallways. They came to another large door and it was once again pushed open by Sangheili honor guards.

The doors revealed the crowd of Sangheili and sometimes even Unggoy who were there to help the Sangheili. They all clapped and cheered as the arbiter went on the large stage and applauded further when Soundwave came on the stage as well. He waved at them and took his place beside Thel. The crowd went silent as the leader of Sanghelios calmed them down.

"My fellow Sangheili, today we finally see the downfall of the old Covenant. They went on to exist for quite some time and still followed the teachings of the vile prophets. Today we have confirmed that that time is over! A new leader has stepped up and changed it into an empire. This empire is led by the Exo emperor, a living Forerunner, who has come to our sacred planet to make peace with us and aid in creating prosperity. Sanghelios will become only stronger due to this treaty!" Thel roared to the crowd which gladly returned the favor.

Soundwave went to Thel and shook his hand once more. He then turned to the crowd unaware of the people that aimed their sniper rifles at him. Sara regarded him coldly and just before he spoke she gave the sign. The shot of a beam rifle coursed through the sky and impacted on his helmet. Soundwave was surprised and his shields drained away. Another shot came followed by three more. The shots all impacted against his chest causing it to melt away under the extreme heat. The last thing he saw before he went offline was the sky of Sanghelios. He wasn't even alive anymore to feel himself fall against the floor. Everyone watched in surprise and horror at his demise. Guards sprang into action and began shielding the stage. The crowd dispersed to find cover. Rudo and Reya watched in pure mortification to see their emperor die like that. They unleashed mighty roars that echoed even above the ruckus. The Vex unleashed mechanical screams as well and flashed away. Ghost hurried to Soundwave's side. Before he could say anything the Vex and the two Sangheili warriors were already in pursuit of a vehicle that fled the scene.

Reya was livid. Her anger was at its peak point as she hijacked a vehicle from a fellow Sangheili. Her uncle stepped in it as well along with a Precursor goblin and hobgoblin. She sped away with some of the Sangheili police force as well. They drove as fast as they could and passed buildings and people just to make sure they didn't lose the transport with the assassins. Her blood was boiling for revenge. Eventually they exited the keep and went over the rocky plains. As they passed some of the obstacles, explosions erupted from the ground. Some of the Sangheili police force were thrown off their ghosts and even worse the passage that they passed through collapsed. Reya was lucky that she was going so fast. A few of the Sangheili police force managed to get through. Rudo growled in annoyance and told the Swords to watch out for traps. When they got in range of the assassins' vehicle the Precursor hobgoblin stood up and aimed its line rifle. The bolt which was fired impacted against the enemy. It kept on firing at the assassins who tried to evade the solar shots. The swords opened fire as well on the fleeing craft. The assassins' effort was in vain as they were forced to come to a stop due to the damage. It parked and immediately the black clad assailants bailed out running towards hiding spots. Reya halted her own transport and jumped out. She surveyed the area and caught a glimpse of the color black just above a ridge.

"There, fire!" She shouted and pointed at the location. The goblin that carried a torch hammer ran to her position and aimed carefully but with great precision. It let a void blast erupt from the launcher and they could see it impact. With dark glee and satisfaction Reya could see the body flung away obviously dead. She turned towards the hobgoblin.

"Get up there and provide support." She ordered quickly as she pointed this time at a hill with the perfect point for sniping. The hobgoblin made a mechanical noise of acknowledgement and phased away. She then decided to use a new toy given to her by Soundwave. It was installed in her gauntlet and had a screen. She pushed on it and watched the familiar dark stormy fog appear in front of her. Out of it came a full Vex assault squad consisting out of ten goblins along with five hobgoblins and two minotaurs.

"Spread out and find the assassins in black." She swiftly ordered. The Vex began to spread out and phasing around to find their targets.

In the meantime Rudo was gathering the swords and told them to go around. They didn't want to have their enemies escape after all. There were only four of them that got through the trap. Rudo pondered on who would have done this. Surely it was planned if they had an escape route and even a trap to cut the pursuers off. His thoughts went to a kaidon or elder. An elder was out of the question because they still have the most faith in the Forerunners. A kaidon could have done it out of its own desires but then they would leave their mark. The arbiter was also out of the question. He had gone through so much effort and was a man of honor. No it was someone else. Unggoy were too dumb and favored Soundwave thanks to his opinion of equality. The Kig-Yar were an option, they were mercenaries after all and they were expert marksmen. There was no doubt that beam rifles were used. Then again it were simply the weapons they saw. Rudo thought of the trap, a cunning move of the assassins. He realized the explosives were not that of plasma origin. The orange fire and smoke that came from it was easily remembered. It was the kind of explosives the humans used. He was so busy analyzing the little intel he had that he almost didn't hear the muffled footsteps from behind. Almost.

With a swift movement he turned around and grabbed the wrist of the assassin who wanted to stab him from behind. The human was surprised but quickly pulled out another knife ready to stab the general. Rudo twisted the wrist in his hand and heard a loud pop. The assassin was dazed by the pain from his broken wrist but recovered soon and began slashing away at his target. With a swiftness that you would expect from a veteran he dodged every swipe and activated his energy dagger. Just when the enemy's knife passed Rudo made a swipe of his own and cleanly cut off the man's hand. His opponent cried in agony behind his black mask and clutched the stump where once his hand was. Rudo knocked him unconscious just as the police members arrived. They took care of unmoving man as Rudo went out to find more targets.

Reya was hunting her own prey in the meantime. She had activated her cloaking and used her keen sense of smell to find her prey. Like a true predator she crossed the rocky terrain. The Vex were spread out in a line and moved forward to find the hidden assassins as well. The Precursor goblin was leading the search while the Precursor hobgoblin gazed over the land from its perch. Reya received a message from Rudo that he had taken care of one of their assailants. She was even angrier than before when she heard the humans were behind this.

With a growl forming in her throat she finally found one. It was a female by the looks from it. The woman clad in black hid behind a rock while the Vex marched by. With a predatory grin formed by her mandibles she slowly snuck up on her unsuspecting victim. The female turned around smugly thinking she outsmarted the Vex until a fist collided with her face. The force threw her on the ground into the dirt. She got up to receive a hoof into her gut. Her mask had fallen off revealing a woman in her thirties. Reya grinned as she saw her opponent cough up some blood. The woman didn't like that on bit and pulled out a silenced SMG. She pulled the trigger but Reya's shields held up long enough to kick the gun away. The woman was surprised and Reya took the opportunity. She grabbed the assassin by the throat and held her against the rock that the black clad woman had used for cover.

The assassin struggled a bit before the light was almost completely gone from her eyes. Begrudgingly Reya let the unconscious but still alive body fall to the ground. She huffed at the pitiful challenge that the assassin had displayed. A goblin had come to investigate the noise it had picked up and was immediately tasked with bringing the captured human to their transport. Reya remembered that there were three more assassins to find. With that same predatory grin she began the hunt again.

Sara cursed beneath her breath. She knew that with the hasty composed plan and trap there would be some pursuers to find her. What she didn't know was that it would be a bunch of Vex coming out of nowhere. As far as the report went the Exo emperor was the one who summoned them. She had killed him by placing an additional beam into his head. Even she had seen the smoking hole in his helmet. At the moment she was with two members of her team. After the stop they had spread out with two other operatives each going to the left and right. If they got captured humanity would say they were extremists but she didn't care since it was her duty. The problem was rather that if she got captured herself the empire would gain intelligence since she was a high-ranking ONI agent. If things got worse she or her squad would have to eliminate her. They all knew this and knew the disastrous effects if they failed to do so.

They hurried through another passage towards the extraction point but then an explosion occurred in front of them. The silver-grey Vex was there again with that cannon in its hand. She knew they were compromised so she opened fire followed by her fellow operatives. The Precursor phased away and in its place came a minotaur with three goblins. The Vex hunting party simultaneously opened fire on them. The shots flew beside Sara but she could hear the painful shouts from her teammate. The man slumped to the ground with three smoking burns on his chest. Another burn was actually at the back of his head. Knowing there were no enemies behind her she realized there was a sniper. She pulled out a frag and threw it at the group. She smiled triumphantly when the goblins were obliterated. That expression was changed to horror as the rest of the Vex hunting party simply rushed them. She fired her gun at them but failed in defeating the phasing horde. A hobgoblin phased at arm's length away from her and knocked the gun out of her hand. She looked at the surviving operative only to see him held captive by two goblins. She looked away and met the bright red optic of another goblin. Before she could do anything it had knocked her on the head with its gun. Her consciousness faded away.

Reya watched in satisfaction at the four captured humans in front of her on their knees. The Sangheili police force had sent three phantoms to pick them up. She and her uncle were standing guard along with the Vex. It took all of her restraint to not rip them apart as she still felt that pure fury. The hatred for killing her emperor was immense. She believed in him and the changes he would bring. All of those promises made to not only her people but also those of the other imperials. If looks could kill then the assassins would have experienced hell twenty times already. She saw one of them spitting at her. She felt her anger surge and stepped forward to bash his head.

"Easy there Reya, they can still be useful." A soothing voice from behind said. She froze in her steps not daring to move another muscle. She caught a glimpse of her uncle with his mandibles wide open from shock. Slowly but steadily she turned around to see him standing there. It was Soundwave with seemingly no injuries. In fact he looked as if nothing had happened at all.

"H-h-how?" She asked with a shaking voice. At least she had found hers, Rudo simply kept on staring. Soundwave actually chuckled at the question.

"Ah come on Reya, you're even surprised? I thought that you knew by now I'm not that easy killed." He said with a grin as the helmet dematerialized.

"But you were shot multiple times, how did you survive that?" Rudo asked as he finally found his voice again.

"I didn't actually. I am capable of a great many things myself including revival. I died but I came back to life, simple as that." Soundwave said enjoying the shocked looks on the faces of those who were there.

"Amazing." Rudo muttered. Soundwave looked past them and glared at the human assassins.

"So these were the ones who killed me huh." He stated icily and with narrowed optics. Reya had spent enough time with him to know he was pissed off.

"Yes, two died at our hands but these were captured. Now that you live you probably want revenge." Rudo said with venom in his voice as he referred to the humans.

"Kill us if you want but know that we fight for humanity even if they do not like our methods. If they want to have peace with these Sangheili bastards than they can have it. We don't give a flying fuck." One of the assassins snarled. Soundwave could see that flame of resistance in his eyes. He felt his demeanor of his previous job coming to the surface.

"Believe me, I can see that spark of defiance within you. You act as if you have no fear but make no mistake, it makes it all the more enjoyable to break you." Soundwave whispered coldly. The man's eyes widened in fear even with his brave acting. The sinister smile that came from him aided in the regard.

"What should we do with them?" Reya asked.

"I will ask the arbiter if I can take them as my prisoners. For now we'll restrain and drug them. I don't want them to take their own lives so we won't get any info." He explained and let them be taken by the Sangheili police.

…..

The arbiter had agreed to give the human prisoners to the empire and was grateful that the Exo emperor didn't have any grudge whatsoever. In fact he had told the arbiter that he saw this coming and wanted to lure the assassins out in the open. Thel had inquired what the meaning of the incident was when he went to the human embassy. The ambassador had said that he didn't know of anything. The man had told him he knew nothing of the assassins and didn't recognize them. Thel had to admit the man was good in hiding his true intentions but Thel saw through lies. It was a reason why he had maintained his title of arbiter. Soundwave didn't mind the lack of answers from Thel and assured him that the treaty along with its agreements wouldn't be nullified.

Onboard of the ship that traveled through slipspace said emperor marched into the onboard interrogation chamber. The captive was strapped to a table tilted upwards. The woman opened her eyes as the door opened allowing the two Precursors to pass through with Soundwave in tow. The female assassin narrowed her eyes at him as he looked at her from behind his helmet. He paced in front of her without saying a single word. He had to give credit to her for staying calm.

"So you're one of the agents who killed me. I would normally applaud you on your success even if it was cowardly. I knew that ONI would try something like this. You spooks would go to any lengths to complete your objective." He mused as he kept on pacing around her in that same slow manner.

"You're supposed to be death." She snarled. Soundwave let out a chilling laugh.

"I was dead, now I'm back. It must be horrible to feel as if you failed you superiors." He said casually. He enjoyed the rage that slowly appeared on the woman's features.

"I did what I wanted to, not because I was ordered you covenant scum." She lied and he knew.

"Someone hasn't been watching the news I see. How shameful for an ONI agent to lack info." Soundwave mocked.

"Screw you." She hissed.

"Such foul language you know. I am thrilled to find out what else you know." Soundwave said in a calm manner as he stopped pacing when he stood right before her. He leaned forward and she was forced to look at that purple line on his helmet.

"You don't scare me." She said defiantly.

"You keep on resisting even in the end. You will soon learn that resisting me is futile." He said ominously as he forcefully placed his uncovered hand on her head. Her head was pushed against the table even while she struggled.

"Do your worst." She finally said. This time the helmet dematerialized and showed Soundwave's now red optics and his grin.

"Oh I will." He said with malice.

Painful shocks suddenly originated from his palm and surged through her head. She felt her limbs going numb and the shocks intensifying. She bit her lip but she couldn't hold it in anymore. Within mere seconds she began screaming in agony. Her head began to hurt so much she couldn't even think about anything else but the pain and those blood-red optics staring into her own eyes. The screams echoed through the cell and through the whole detention block. She could feel him inside her head. The screams went on and on until finally they died out. Just like Sara Michelle did.

The doors opened up to let Soundwave out with his loyal guards. As they left one could see the slumped body of a human woman leaning forward. Reya joined him as she had been standing outside and had heard the screams. Part of her dreaded what had happened in there but another part of her was satisfied with the painful demise of the ONI assassin. She decided she would ask questions later as they were nearing Archeologis.

Eventually they came out of slipspace and Reya was impressed by the view in front of her. Coming out of the moon was a brand new cruiser which joined up with the now enlarged fleet. Things had been going well in their absence it seemed. They immediately boarded a shuttle and went back to the citadel. Upon arriving Diablo happily announced that one of the new inventions were already put into use. He had made special implants for the Unggoy to boost their bravery so it would counter their cowardice. The same was for the Jiralhanae only they got implants that lowered their aggressiveness. Soundwave was happy to hear this and the news that all new equipment had been tested and passed. It was already been produced in the factories at the moment. The expeditionary force had also reported in notifying them that all was going according to schedule.

Tipo and Timo also showed him a hangar loaded with one of his new toys. He grinned in satisfaction at the war machines that had been created in his absence. Diablo also managed that his secret project was under way and would be completed faster than they thought it would. Finally they all came together in his office inside the citadel. The mountain had been dubbed 'the imperial palace' and buildings around it were mostly finished.

"Her name was Sara Michelle. She grew up on an inner colony world until she was recruited by ONI. She was a valuable asset and therefore assigned to spy on the Sangheili. She had quite the info regarding protocols and ONI facilities. Though she was also working for her own interests sometimes. There is a planet with minimal defenses but it has an important secret ONI facility there. There is also an asteroid with many prisoners from Sangheili to humans. We will infiltrate both and get all valuable intel while also freeing the prisoners for our cause. I need to make a phone call as well." Soundwave informed his closest companions as he recalled the interrogation. He also gave out his new orders and plans.

"I will have a strike force ready to infiltrate the facility. I will personally join them as well." Jul said as he placed his fist over his chest with his arm horizontally as it was now the imperial salute. Soundwave nodded and turned towards Rudo.

"Can I count on you to break the prisoners out?" He asked the veteran who politely saluted as well.

"It will be done my emperor." He vowed.

"Do not worry, I will have some people aid you in your endeavor. They have experience with ONI and prisons." Soundwave said cryptically. Now everyone was curious as to who he was referring to.

Soundwave dismissed everyone and told them to prepare for war. He soon found himself alone except for Reya and Ghost. He activated his terminal installed in his desk and accessed the powerful communications relay. He typed in the codes that he gained from the interrogation of Sara Michelle. The display only showed static until it showed otherwise. It became a visual of an armored man. He wore the SCOUT-class armor colored steel with orange trim. Standing at his side was another armored man. This one sported the LOCUS-class armor colored steel with sage green trim. It was the orange one who talked first.

"This is the Felix and Locus mercenary company, how can I help you?" The man said with wit in his voice.

"I believe I could use your services mister Felix. Those from your partner Locus as well. I heard you gave some grudges against the UNSC and I have my share of problems with them as well. How about we make deal?" Soundwave said charmingly.

"Mmh I don't know, for one I do not know you and secondly I don't think we would have the resources to go against them." Felix mused while scratching his armored chin in mock-thought.

"I have enough resources mister Felix, in fact I would be all too willing to use them to reward you and mister Locus." Soundwave said charmingly knowing this was all business-like. Felix instantly perked up when he heard the word 'reward'.

"Now in that case I think a deal would be very appropriate. May I know with who I have the honor to talk to?" Felix answered. At this question Soundwave leaned forward so the two mercenaries could clearly see him.

"You can call me the Exo emperor, otherwise known as Soundwave." He told them with a smirk.

 **Preparations: check**

 **War: coming soon**


	5. Chapter 5

**I planned having the war now but looks like some more preparing. Though you will be happy to know I have finally included some more races in this story. PS a certain scene will be recognized by RvB fans. Enjoy!**

…..

"So let me get this straight, you hired mercenaries to aid us?" Ghost asked raising an imaginary eyebrow.

"Relax they are professionals and I am certain they can be convinced to follow orders." Soundwave assured his companion. They were currently at a backwater planet called Meridian. The mercenaries had chosen the planet as a meeting point. Soundwave was the first to arrive with only Reya and his Vex to accompany him while their ship was cloaked and hidden.

"Oh that's not what I doubt, it is if they will remain loyal. Mercenaries want rewards for their deeds and once someone else has the bigger reward they'll stab you in the back." Ghost argued.

"You know this is why I didn't tell you about this in the first place. I know we once had problems with mercenaries but relax. From what I know about these guys, they are very loyal to their employer as long as you don't screw them." Soundwave retorted. Ghost huffed and shut up about the topic.

"They're here." Reya announced gaining the pair's attention. Sure enough a pelican dropship approached them and landed at the meeting point. Soundwave waited patiently as the ramp opened up. The first one to exit was Felix followed by Locus. The two armed mercenaries walked up to Soundwave at ease.

"So you're that famous emperor who defeated the UNSC. I've got to admit I'm impressed. Nice armor by the way it really brings out the dangerous look." Felix said smoothly.

"Well your hidden knifes really bring out your concealed eyes." Soundwave shot back. Felix began chuckling at the comment.

"Oh we are going to get along great. So what is it that the almighty emperor wants with us? I'm actually surprised you know us." Felix told him.

"I got your number from a mutual friend. Does the name Sara Michelle say anything to you?" Soundwave asked with a smirk.

"Sara, Sara, Sara- oh that Sara! Of course we know her, right Locus?" Felix pondered before remembering.

"She hired us before to take down some ONI agents for her own benefit. After the deed she tried to get us killed." Locus spoke up with a low voice.

"Well she ended up dead herself when she tried to assassinate me. Consider that pest gone." Soundwave assured them.

"Finally that bitch is gone! Let us get a drink after this business is done." Felix happily said. Locus just nodded in respect.

"Speaking of business we have an agreement to make." Ghost announced.

"Indeed, what do you want from us?" Locus asked professionally.

"I want to hire you for service to the empire. I will reward you well and you will have some reputation in the empire as allies. I already have a first assignment for you if you're interested." Soundwave told them.

"Yeah what is that reward actually?" Felix questioned with his interest piqued on that matter.

"Your first reward will be even before your first mission. It will be a gift of goodwill and a promise of more to come. What do you both say about upgrades to your armor? When I'm done with them they'll allow you to go hand to hand with a Spartan IV. The rest of the rewards will be varying from weaponry to money. Interested in my proposal?" Soundwave said. Felix was definitely in if the rubbing of his hands was any indication.

"Now you certainly know how to sweet talk me into this. Right Locus?" The orange mercenary spoke up elbowing his friend a bit. The man grunted in agreement.

"Very well then, let us go to my fleet to arrange everything." Soundwave told them happily that they accepted.

"Oh yeah, we can't leave immediately. You see there is a crime boss here at the settlement and we need to have some payback you know. He crossed our path and now he wants to rat us out to the authorities. We can't have that happening." Felix said remembering the additional reason for coming here.

"Then you'll have to take him out." Soundwave shrugged indicating he was okay with the delay.

"It's not that simple, there are multiple UNSC marines that arrived here around two days ago. They have been tipped by the target that we're here to cause damage. The whole settlement is on lockdown and security is tight. Even with our skillsets it's going to take some time to break in and eliminate our guy." Locus informed him. Soundwave thought about the situation and came to a solution.

"Then I'll help you out on this. Weakening the UNSC's presence here would be beneficial for me after all. I actually thought that this planet was under the control of the Liang Dortmund company." Soundwave declared.

"It was, until you came along." Felix told him.

"Shall I call the cruiser we have here in the system for backup?" Reya asked her leader.

"Alert them to position themselves in orbit when I give the command. If things go bad then I'll call in reinforcements." He ordered swiftly. Reya nodded and went to the shuttle to alert the battle cruiser.

"You are resourceful after all." Felix pointed out with a smirk evident in his tone.

"A soldier always comes prepared to the battlefield." Soundwave said and Locus nodded in agreement.

"Now what do you know about the enemy whereabouts?" Soundwave questioned. Locus grabbed a holoprojector and activated it. The device showed a standard base with barracks, a motor pool, landing path, a single hangar, a communications tower and a compound acting as headquarters. The base was positioned against rocks with plains in front.

"There are two gateways. One is at the side of the plains and one close to the barracks on the other side. At each gate there is a watchtower with two guards. The fence is electrified and powered by a generator at the motor pool. Some marines are on patrol in the settlement and they also have a few patrols inside the base. The target is supposed to be inside that compound. Our plan was designed for us two so I'll let you make the new one." Locus answered. Soundwave observed the base and analyzed their best approach.

"I will jump over the fence and head to the motor pool. Once there I'll sabotage the generator and the vehicles. After I give the all clear signal Reya will cut a hole in the fence to get you in. She will go to the hangar and plant explosives on the vehicles there to cause havoc if necessary. Felix will go to the barracks and eliminate the marines. Locus, you and I will link up and enter the compound. From there we'll take out the leadership and get to the detention block." Soundwave informed them. Once again Locus agreed with the reasoning. Felix agreed as well with the plan and after Reya was informed they used the pelican.

On the relatively short trip to their destination Soundwave conversed with his inner demon.

"So how is the transformation of the planet going?" Soundwave asked while being in the same throne room just like before. Once again Atheon stood proudly in its hall.

" **A fifth has already been transformed into Vex structures. Soon the process will fasten and more Vex will come to this dimension."** Atheon answered with its deep mechanical voice that echoed through the hall. Nothing had changed since Soundwave had come here. He still saw the countless red eyes of Vex down in the abyss.

"Then I assume they can be used for the coming war effort?" Soundwave inquired. The tall Vex lord made sound similar to a snort.

" **The purpose of the Vex is to make ourselves dominant in dimensions. Of course your 'war' as you call it will be joined by the Vex supremacy."** Atheon responded in a tone that indicated it believed in the capabilities of its race.

"If you say so." The guardian muttered.

" **It is reality. The Vex have always sought to prove the universe that we have a higher purpose than the already created organics. Your former civilization and the one before are examples. While those Forerunners were never truly met in an all-out battle they feared our might."** Atheon preached.

"Whatever, as long as we gain additional numbers for the war then I'm content. Traveler knows how hard we'll need the reinforcements. Even with all those factories we're at a disadvantage on multiple aspects. We don't know exact numbers, we need a larger navy, we need more forces to fight on the ground, we need to be able to counter enemy tactics… Hell at this rate I'm open for anything." Soundwave trailed off. Atheon regarded the fellow metal being creature and hummed.

" **Perhaps I can get you even more warriors."** The imposing goliath proposed. Soundwave grew interested and decided to indulge it.

"What do you have in mind?"

" **I can look into the space-time flux of the Vex for assistance. Over events in the past, present and future there have been some who were trapped in the vast realm of existence belonging to the Vex. They are frozen and trapped in the depths of time. They exist while not existing at all. They live while not living. Their mind cannot comprehend their current state so they do not think at all. I cannot bring those who come from far away worlds but there are some from your previous one who can be freed from time's clutches."** Atheon cryptically explained. Most of it confused Soundwave but it did sound rather good.

"And who are they?" He asked.

" **I see reptilian yet arachnid creatures. They have been abandoned by their protector. There are three of them. Three groups, different yet the same. They rely on an essence necessary for survival. Their guides and aides give them this very essence. Their bright eyes shine in the dark."** Atheon said as it gazed into the depths of time.

"Sounds familiar." Soundwave said while trying to picture the creatures he know of.

" **Then there are the rhino-like creatures in armor. It protects and is a source of honor. They are known to the Vex. They drive in battles and black blood flows through their veins. They are large yet some are not. How they value military code is close to being zealous. Cross their paths and become victim to fiery explosions."** Atheon continued speaking in its own riddles.

"They could be a great asset to the empire but their loyalty is the matter up for debate. I do not see why they would join us." Soundwave tells the blue Vex.

" **They come from different time periods. I can see it. Both fled from their homes, both being driven away by another force. One is scared and struck with grief looking for a new place to call home. The other feels betrayed and is without purpose while clinging to ideals. They seek a home and purpose in life. Give them what they desperately seek and they will follow you."** Atheon mused. Soundwave had to agree with the logic in the idea. If he could get the two races in his empire then he would stand a better chance in protecting it. If they refused than it would be their problem but still Soundwave felt conflicted at leaving them in the Vex their grasp. Even while they had caused trouble before no one deserved to stay here in the dark abys.

"Try to free them but first their leaders will be brought here in this hall. If they agree then they will be released. If not, then their fate will be decided on that moment." Soundwave eventually declared after thinking it through. Atheon agreed with him and saw the exo out.

He awakened just in time to see Felix talking to Reya while Locus flew the pelican.

"So tell me, how is it to have an energy sword? I'm a close combat specialist myself but never before have I had the opportunity to feel it in my grip." He asked with that same witty tone he always used.

"It is a very efficient weapon to cut annoying pests." Reya threatened. Felix began to chuckle and turned his head towards Soundwave.

"I think I'm going to like her." He quipped much to Reya's annoyance.

"We're almost there." Locus announced from the cockpit before Soundwave could retort.

The pelican slowed down until they could safely descend. They stood up and headed towards the ramp. Felix pushed the button which allowed it to open up. They were soon joined by the imposing figure of Locus. As they exited the transport they noticed the darkness of the night would make their work even easier. Soundwave used his lift ability to ascend and land on a rock allowing him to observe the military base. Everything was like it was shown before. He saw a few patrols walking around but nothing that made it harder. In fact it was easier than ops he had pulled off before. Deciding he had observed enough and had planned out the best approach he jumped off the rock. He nodded towards his companions in the mission and sprinted off towards the base.

He soon came close to the fence and with a boost jumped over it. He utilized his ability to land softly without making a single sound. Looking up he saw he had landed near the motor pool just as he had planned. Hearing two voices around the corner he scurried behind a few crates of ammunition and crouched. The voices grew louder and louder until his motion tracker showed two presences just behind the crates.

"I'm telling you that those workers at the settlement have no respect. They always complain about how our presence in the streets is bad for their spirits. I mean come on! We're marines, it's our job to make sure nothing bad happens. If that means we need to search their belongings or ask a few questions then that's simply necessary." A marine complained as he leaned against the crates.

"Yeah well they want privacy. I can understand that since most of our orders are blatant intrusions on theirs." The guy's friend responded.

"Tsk, we're the UNSC pal. We get to do what we want to do if it's for the security of humanity."

"Whatever you say. It's just that we're at war with aliens, not with our own people." The second one stubbornly said.

"Those outer colonies are full with bastards. They don't even appreciate the efforts of the UEG." The first one said arrogantly.

Deciding he had heard enough Soundwave jumped over the crates and delivered a fist in the second marine's face with so much force the skull broke and killed him. The arrogant marine was slow to comprehend what just happened so before he could even reach his gun Soundwave had knocked his head hard enough to break his neck. With the two dead soldiers safely put away behind the crates he sneaked further towards the vehicle depot. Ghost did a quick scan to find the generator and marked it on the HUD. The scan also revealed a group of six marines inside. With a quick peek Soundwave saw four of them huddled in a corner playing poker while two others were busy fixing a warthog.

Activating his cloaking device he sneaked towards his prey in the shadows. While the Titans didn't have this normally he had made sure it would be installed in him for his own tasks. As he was reminded of that he also remembered how he did his work. If he were to attack the two mechanics the others wouldn't notice since it was out of their sight. All he had to do was be as silent as the night. He walked quietly towards the two. One was rummaging around in the motor compartment while the other was standing behind him. Soundwave left his crouch position and rose to his full height. With a quick movement he twisted the man's neck and carefully dragged the body away into the shadows. The working mechanic extended his arm to receive a tool but when got nothing he turned around with a confused look plastered on his face. He couldn't see his fellow worker and looked to the right only to have a knife cut his throat. After hiding the second corpse Soundwave went towards the corner where a game of poker was taking place.

The little band of gamblers were so wrapped up in their game that they hadn't noticed that a shimmering figure stalked towards them. There was a sudden flash which did attract their attention. Soundwave appeared out of the shadows with two pistols in his hands. Both guns were equipped with a silencer to ensure that no one would hear the weapons' cry. With great speed he downed two of the players with effective headshots. The others moved to grab their weapons and shout for help but Soundwave was quicker. Again the pistols fired their arc-fueled munition in rapid succession and struck the two soldiers down. Pleased with his work he left the bodies not bothering to hide them. He walked up to the end of the room and opened a hatch.

Beneath was the generator powering the fence. Soundwave opened his palm and allowed Ghost to do his work. The little machine filled the darkness with blue light as it manipulated the generator. Within mere seconds it powered down along with the fence. Now phase one was over Soundwave sent the silent signal towards his companions for alerting them it was safe. He received acknowledgement from them and placed a few explosives he had found inside the ammunition crates close to his landing spot. With the motor pool cleared and rigged to blow if necessary he left the building to join up with Locus. He evaded the occasional patrol unless he had to eliminate them and got rather quickly to Locus' position. With a single nod towards each other they went inside the main compound intent on finding the target.

With cloaking devices activated the two came to what looked like a reception with a lone marine just watching something on his pc. The man looked up as to why the door had opened but seeing no one was there he shrugged and turned his attention back to what he was doing before. By the time he had looked away Locus was already behind him. With a swift move the guy was dead in a moment. Soundwave was impressed by his skills and most certainly approved of him. With the body disposed of they went deeper into the compound with the cellar as destination. As soon as they passed the door that lead into the main hall they were met by a group of three marines bullying a settler. One of them even toyed with his gun to scare the girl who was only eighteen if Soundwave's guess was correct.

"Please you told me you would let my grandfather go!" The girl pleaded. The group only laughed in her face.

"Look sweetheart, your old man is accused of being an insurrectionist by our commanding officer. You can't see him." One of the men said.

"Although you could persuade us." Another one said with a lecherous grin as he stared at her. The others grinned as well while the girl looked ready to cry.

Soundwave had enough of them. Before Locus could go in Soundwave had grabbed one of the marines who was about to grope her. The man was pulled up into the air by a shimmering force. He was brought down violently on the armored knee of a certain exo. The crack that echoed through the hall was far from silent. The cloak was disengaged revealing the intimidating sight of Soundwave. The two other marines brought up their rifles and tried to shoot at him if not for the fact that they were taken down by another invisible dread namely Locus. With the marines dead on the floor the girl was shaken out of her stupor when Soundwave stood in front of her. By the looks of it she was terrified of him. He couldn't be offended by it though. He and Locus did kill three humans with ease after all.

"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you." He said trying to come over gently. The girl still looked petrified. Locus moved up to him.

"She's a liability. She can alert the others to our presence." He argued while glancing at her. She visibly squirmed under his gaze. Soundwave however moved to stand between of her and Locus.

"You will not harm her. Is that understood, soldier?" He asked sternly. Locus immediately backed down. Soundwave once again turned his attention to the girl.

"Who are you?" She asked timidly with fear evident in her voice.

"I am the Exo, emperor of the recently formed empire. Who are you if I may ask?" He responded gently. He might have made a mistake since the girl's face morphed into pure horror.

"You're here to glass us again!?" She yelled and was quickly muffled by him. He looked at Locus and tilted his head towards the door. With a nod Locus went to see if anyone had heard the commotion.

"Listen carefully okay? I'm not here to kill everyone on the planet. We're simply here to eliminate a certain target and these marines were in the way. Besides not only are the ones stationed here scumbags but I prefer not to kill civilians." He told her. She slowly nodded and he removed his hand so she could speak again.

"So you won't kill everyone in the settlement?" She asked with at least less fear.

"No I will not kill them. I do have to kill everyone on this base but that's war." He said. The girl instantly became alarmed.

"Wait! Please save my grandfather. He was arrested on false charges simply because he spoke out against the treatment we received of the company that controls the planet. We're doing our best in terraforming it by mining here for the company. Living conditions here are poor and the company is responsible for the process. My grandfather wanted to have a better life for everyone here. Then yesterday he was arrested because of all of this. Please don't kill him. His name is David Rodriquez. Mine is Anna." The girl pleaded desperately. Now he understood the event that had taken place with the marines. This was clearly corruption, he had seen such things before. Technically he shouldn't since he was at war with the UEG but he couldn't ignore her plea.

"Fine, if your grandfather has been imprisoned here then he'll be where our target is. Stay in this office and make sure no one finds you." He told her and guided her inside an empty office. Anna nodded and hid behind the desk.

With the distractions gone he joined Locus as they headed deeper into the compound. At a few occasions they would find another soldier but with most sleeping they were easily dispatched of. Locus himself proved to be very capable at stealth and following orders. Soundwave knew this man had a soldier complex. Every command was followed to the letter and together they easily made their way into the lower levels. There was only one guard who was killed by Locus with the means of a knife. However there were quite some prisoners. In one cell there were a bunch of civilians who stared fearfully at them while in the other one were only two occupants. One was a man with grey hair and wrinkles on his face but you could see the fire in his eyes. The other man was bald and had a scar on his head. He had a roguish look and was paralyzed with fear when he saw Locus.

"No it can't be. Look I swear I'll leave you guys alone, I just want to live okay." The man said almost pissing his pants.

"You threatened us and now you have to pay for that." Locus told the guy coldly.

"Look if it is money you want then I can get it. Just let me live." The man further begged.

"And how would you get us the money then?" Soundwave asked. The guy didn't seem to recognize him and thought he was a partner of Locus.

"I have this spare bank account with millions of credits on it. If you let me go you can have it." He proposed with a nervous smile.

"How did a guy like you get so much?" Soundwave asked with his interest piqued. He gestured to Locus to stand down. The mercenary did so and stood there silently.

"Well I did some jobs for ONI you know. A little arms deal here and there. Killing a certain target and all that stuff. They protected me and paid me for some time but when I fell out of their graces I wanted to regain my status. I thought that by ratting Felix and Locus out they would rethink my services but unfortunately things didn't go as planned. They wanted me dead as well. I came here to Meridian to hide for some time but again it didn't go as planned." The crime boss explained with a sheepish expression.

"Tell me how to access the bank account and I won't kill you." Soundwave said calmly. Though inwardly he wanted to shoot the guy straight in the face.

"Look I don't know how you think this will work but I ain't giving you shit unless you get me out of here first." The man retorted angrily and with lots of arrogance. As a response Soundwave materialized his Invective and aimed at the guy's head.

"You either tell me or you die, your choice." Soundwave growled. The man visibly squirmed beneath the barrel pointed at him and broke.

"Alright, alright! I've hidden all you need to know inside my home in the settlement. It's inside the kitchen beneath the sink. Just let me go now okay." The man said in panic. Soundwave smirked and lowered his gun.

"But of course, I won't kill you." Soundwave said. The man relaxed but was shot in the head by Locus. "But he will." Soundwave finished. The corpse of the criminal fell harshly on the ground. The other prisoners who had been watching the exchange silently were tense.

"Target eliminated." Locus said robotically.

Soundwave's attention drifted away to the people who were imprisoned here. He regarded them carefully and noticed some sported bruises and cuts. No doubt from harsh treatment. He then looked at the old man sitting in the same cell as him. He analyzed the man and noticed how collected he actually was. As if he knew that no harm would be done to him or the others.

"Are you by any chance David Rodriguez?" Soundwave asked. The man's eyebrows rose in surprise but nodded.

"That would be me, and you must be the Exo." David said with a calm voice.

"Yes, I encountered your daughter here on my way. She asked me if I would free you."

"Oh Anna, still worrying about me as usual." David sighed while shaking his head but you could see the small smile on his face.

"You seem awfully calm for a prisoner." Soundwave remarked.

"I've seen my share of prisons. With my age I'm not really that concerned anymore with my fate. I have lived my life and if my time comes I will accept it." David told the exo sagely.

"I heard you were locked up because they think you're an insurrectionist." Soundwave further said.

"They aren't completely wrong. I was one of them, a key leader actually, but I left the group when they began their devastating path. Many joined me and we became a splinter group. We kept on protesting against some of the UEG's cruel ways towards the outer colonies. That was until they came for my family. Anna her parents were killed and with no one else to I decided to take her under my wing. Many of the now gone insurrectionist groups have also joined our secret group. We have the numbers of a small army but we know that as it is now we cannot do anything. We remain shackled to the UEG and it corrupt ways." David said mournfully while stroking his grey beard. The other prisoners all agreed with him and had sorrowful faces.

"So why not become independent? Leave and colonize another planet." Soundwave asked.

"We would love to but unfortunately it is not that simple. Even if we had the resources the UNSC would come and somehow take control for the UEG. Meridian was supposed to be a new start you know. We have an AI in charge who wants the best for us. One time he voiced his concerns for the population. As a result he was almost shut down. I had a lead on the company running the terraforming process. In trade for our work in mining the silicates they would terraform so we could live here. I am certain they have been lying in our faces and are using the profits for themselves." David ranted on with now anger creeping into his voice.

Soundwave digested the information he just received from the old man. He was well aware of the corruption in the UNSC especially after Sara Michelle's interrogation but to actually hear it from the UEG's own people disgusted him. He would hardly be surprised by now if the reason why they formally declared war on the empire was because their influence would grow. Soundwave still kept on thinking that there was good in the humans of this universe after all. His interactions with doctor Halsey and Glassman along with sergeant Kowalski were proof of that.

"Well since I am an enemy of the UEG it would be best if I released their captives. Wouldn't you say so Locus?" Soundwave mused. The mercenary grunted in response drawing a smirk from his employer. David looked at him with hope.

"You're letting us go? And you won't harm the settlers?" He asked with the fire in his eyes shining. The other captives also appeared hopeful.

"Of course, why go after civilians if I simply eliminate the military presence here. Besides the marines here appear to be less than civilized."

"Oh they are indeed." Ghost said as he appeared. "In fact it was at the command of ONI that troublesome and obnoxious marines were to be sent to backwater planets. Their ignorance is so immense it makes commander Zavala look like a carefree man." The little AI continued.

"Felix and Reya, come in. Has all personnel on the base been eliminated?" Soundwave asked.

"We just finished up, is that bald fuck dead?" Felix answered.

"Yeah he is, we're releasing some prisoners now. Please don't shoot them or I'll have to decrease your reward." Soundwave said.

"If I ain't getting paid for that then I won't boss." Felix responded.

"Thank you very much, our organization and the settlement owe you." David said as Locus broke the lock allowing the prisoners to leave.

"Well if you're interested then I have a proposal for you. Something for all of the insurrectionists and colonists who wish to leave the UEG. You might have some distrust in the deal and have doubts but in the long term you'll gain what you wish." Soundwave said. The aged man nodded and together they left the compound while engaged in a conversation that would have a lot of impact on coming events. But first Soundwave had to reunite family.

…..

"You say you acted in humanity's best interest but look at what happened!" The normally collected and calm Hood yelled in the face of Osman.

Following the failed assassination attempt on Sanghelios, the Sangheili and the Arbiter had voiced their displeasure with the interruption in their own affairs. While the kaidons and elders were good in saying nasty things even the Arbiter had said some colorful things. The tensions had rose and already there was talk about having the humans removed of Sangheili soil. Ambassador Williams had done well in partly calming tensions but even he couldn't stop all of it. When the news had reached the UNSC the security committee had been gathered and Osman would have her share of insults received.

"Yes, I know that our relation with the Sangheili has taken a blow but I assure you that ONI gave no command to do this. Operative Sara Michelle acted independently along with her team. ONI values the peace we have with the Sangheili." She perfectly lied with her face keeping straight.

"Now, now fleet admiral please calm down. Even if admiral Osman had known she would have stopped the operative." The army general soothed fearing the aged man would have a problem with his blood pressure. Hood growled and backed down.

"Even while things turned bad there are some things we have learned of. Some very disturbing news." Osman said. Now they were interested. It was not every day admiral Serin Osman found something disturbing.

"Go ahead, enlighten us." Hood instructed. Osman nodded and typed something on her datapad.

It connected with the screen and showed the speech of the Arbiter just before the assassination. Osman increased the speed to the point Soundwave was about to speak when suddenly multiple rays impacted and pierced his chest. The body of the emperor fell and another shot hit his head just in case. Then the commotion was shown as the camera Unggoy shook in fear but was paralyzed. Good for them since it allowed them to see what happened next. A white light shone from where the corpse was but due to the pedestal none saw what actually happened. The other officials all gasped in shock as soon the emperor rose again as if nothing had happened.

"As you can see the operatives managed to kill him. Unfortunately it appears that he can come back to life." Osman remarked dryly.

"If this is true then how are we going to kill him?" General Strauss asked.

"I believe it would be best to contain him. If we can't kill him then we'll just have to make sure he can't harm us." Osman said with the rest nodding.

After that, most things discussed were final preparations of the mobilization of their forces. With the meeting done Hood went back to his office. Upon arrival he was met by the waiting captain Lasky and commander Palmer. When they saw their superior they stood at attention and saluted. Hood gladly returned the salute.

"At ease, what brings you two today to my office?" He questioned as he sat down in his chair.

"We wanted to voice our opinion on something." Lasky told his superior and mentor.

"Oh and that would be?" Lord Hood asked with a raised eyebrow. This time Palmer spoke up.

"It's about fireteam Osiris sir. While Spartans Buck, Tanaka and Vale are fine we have some concerns about their team leader namely Spartan Locke." She said with a frown.

"Tell me what the problem is exactly." He ordered with concern.

"He has been acting differently than the usual Spartans. He thinks we haven't noticed but he has been going around the Infinity gathering intel. He has been listening in on me whenever he can and I am certain the calls home were rather to a certain organization." Lasky said with a frown as well. They all had a very damned hood idea on who it was..

"ONI." Hood growled. He was getting tired of their antics. During the wars they gained too much influence.

"We think so sir." Palmer added.

Hood thought very carefully about what ONI's game was. They wanted in on the Spartans, the _Infinity_ and the leadership. ONI was a loose cannon doing things that came back to bite the UNSC in the ass. For now he would play their game and when he could he would strike. He was tired of them and so were many others. While useful they also created problems.

"I'll see what I can do, for now we must be patient and wait for our move." He finally said with the two agreeing with him as they stared out of the window at the fleet.

…..

Deep in outer colony space a lone asteroid field floated through the dark abyss. A system with no planets able to sustain life. No colonists settled there. What humanity did settle there was a secret prison under the direction of none other than ONI. Deep within the field the asteroids concealed the prison. Inside various criminals were imprisoned. Yet some of these so-called criminals were thrown in their cells simply because ONI ordered it. Some were even just peaceful protesters and leaders of movements. They were taken away from their homes since ONI labeled them dangerous to society. Many of the prisoners had lost hope. After the treatment and the lack of any sort of freedom they had left did that to someone. The wardens were no marines or any official security force. These were the secret enforcers of ONI. They had no compassion and showed no mercy.

Inside the command room of the facility only a few workers were behind the control terminals. They observed the prisoners, rooms, docking bays and so on. The man behind the communication controls was steadily falling asleep until his computer started bleeping. With a jolt of surprise the man woke up and turned his focus to his work. The radar also showed a military frigate which was heading towards the prison.

"Sir, I'm getting a transmission from that ship!" The operator said to the head warden. The fat man with his mustache turned around in his seat and looked at the incoming transport.

"Put it through and identify that ship." The man ordered. The operator nodded and did his work.

"Hello, is anyone there?!" Came an irritated voice over the commlink.

"This is prison facility 45N, identify yourselves immediately." The head warden ordered while scratching his mustache.

"This is the _Shadow Serpent_. We're bringing in a new prisoner on behalf of section 7." The guy on the other end of the comm said.

"I was not informed of any new prisoner." The head warden said with a frown.

"Look mister, this prisoner was sent here by admiral Osman herself. We're transmitting our codes now. If we don't deliver this prisoner any time soon I'll personally tell the admiral how bad you and your people are doing your jobs. So get your ass moving before I lose my patience." The voice now said with clear anger. Many of the staff were now nervous at the threat. The bald head warden was wriggling in his seat. He turned towards the comm operator who nodded in confirmation that the codes were legit.

"Understood _Shadow Serpent_ you're clear to dock. I'll have a team ready to take this prisoner of yours." The man said and hurried to do so.

"Very well then but make no mistake, we are to guide the prisoner personally." The irritated voice responded before shutting the comm down.

With permission granted the ship went further inside the asteroid field. It slowed its approach as it came close to the prison facility. It turned itself so it could properly dock with the facility. As the docking process started behind the hatch stood a line of security personnel. They were neatly positioned and their officer stood at attention as well. When the hatch opened the first ones to enter the facility were six armored humans. The four males wore an ENFORCER helmet, PREFECT shoulders, STALKER torso, RECRUIT forearms, ODST legs, and a FROST visor. The two females wore armor consisting a RECON helmet, STALKER torso, MARK VI forearms and legs, and also a FROST visor. They were heavily armed if the weapons differing from the shotgun to the SAW were any indication. Each every one of them had their armor steel colored. They spread out a bit allowing the next visitors to come through.

Two figures with green and orange colored armor guided a lone Sangheili. The wardens were surprised to see a Sangheili of all to come to their prison. They had some Sangheili stored away in their cells but not that many. Most were humans and they had to keep them apart unless they wanted accidents to happen. The Sangheili grunted as he was shoved forward. The orange one stepped forward to greet the officer.

"Greetings sir, we are here to escort you to the head warden and to aid in escorting the prisoner as well." The officer said with a slight smile.

"Great, very thoughtful of you. Go on guys and bring that overgrown lizard to his cage." Felix said joyfully. The Sangheili's eye twitched and his mandibles clicked but complied when he was shoved forward.

As Locus and the fellow mercenaries brought the supposed prisoner away Felix inwardly commented how easy it was to fool ONI. The fact that the organization's sections didn't know about other sections might have advantages but now it was a disadvantage. He didn't care how Soundwave had gotten those clearance codes, he simply cared about the fact that he could damage ONI somewhat. After serving in the UNSC and being discarded without aid thanks to the intelligence division he loved payback. The money was also a good motivator. With the facility not being that big they arrived quickly at the command center. Felix entered with the two accompanying escorts and saw there were only five others in the room. He grinned behind his helmet. Too easy.

"Ah so you're the leader of this transfer then?" A fat man said as looked arrogantly at Felix.

"Yes I am. You must be the leader of this prison then." Felix responded.

"I am indeed. You will see that my facility is one of the best there is. Escape is impossible and my brilliance would quell any uprising." The man gloated.

"That doesn't make sense though." Felix mused.

"Oh and why would that be?" The warden questioned.

"Because you need a head for that." Felix answered.

With a fast movement he grabbed the two guards behind him and smashed their heads together before pulling out their guns out of their holsters. He dual wielded them and shot at the operatives who tried to scramble and fire back. None succeeded and were downed instantly. The head warden looked fearfully at the corpses of his men. They had been murdered in less than half a minute by the one who was supposed to work for ONI. His eyes turned to the alarm button on his chair but as he wanted to activate it a knife lodged itself in his hand effectively pinning it to the chair. The man cried out in pain and agony but his other hand was stabbed as well. Felix chuckled at his work and placed the third knife straight into the man's head. The eyes of the bald warden shook for a moment before all life left them and the rest of the body.

Felix pushed the chair aside and inserted a chip into the main command console. A hologram appeared of a figure in a black cloak with the hands and feet equipped with steel armor. It also had a sheathed sword and beneath the hood of the cloak was only pure darkness rivaling that of space. The figure let out a small cry as it appeared. A cry that would make the weak-willed tremble in fear. He was Khamûl, one of the recently made AIs by Soundwave with the aid of Ghost and Diablo. One of nine in fact. They were inspired by a famous book of a famous author out of humanity's history. Ghost showed a lot of interest in their culture and after quite some pleading Soundwave had allowed Ghost to come up with the avatars. Therefore Ghost had proudly presented the Nazgûl AI series. These AI were to be the technological terrors to unleash upon the UNSC technology.

"Khamûl, get this place under our control. I don't want the security personnel doing anything dumb. I still need to get paid after all." Felix said while grabbing a chair. It made a creaking noise when he sat down and rested his legs on the console.

"It will be done." Khamûl said in his raspy voice.

As the events inside the command center went by there were other objectives to be completed. Locus had dispatched the escorts along with the small elite group of their whole mercenary company and the Sangheili who just finished putting his armor on. Rudo was so going to hit Felix for the insult even if it was a façade. With the command center in their control it was simply a matter of eliminating the rest of the facility's personnel. With the path clear the waiting Vex on the frigate poured through the docking hatch. They came in great numbers to easily overwhelm the facility. He gave orders to the mercenaries and the Vex before he went to his own objectives with his own squad of Sangheili SpecOps. He pointed at the doors of the barracks and with the unspoken command the Vex barged through them and opened fire. The surprised guards stood no chance against the onslaught of the invaders.

Gunshots echoed throughout the prison alerting the prisoners something was going on. In the large cell hall the inmates stood against the bars of their room with confused expressions. A door opened revealing an entire squad of guards armed to the teeth running away from a volley of red bolts. With blue light around them the Vex followed the retreating guards by phasing around. The squad desperately opened fire on the menacing assailants. Some of the prisoners had to back away from the bars of their cells unless they wanted to get hit by a stray bolt or bullet. Two heavy gunners arrived to reinforce their comrades. One carried a turret while the other carried the tripod. While they put up the turret the other guards did their best in fending the Vex off. A task which was far from easy due to the maneuvers they pulled off. But then the heavy gunners were ready.

From a bridge that connected the upper levels to each other they unleashed torrents of bullets on the advancing Vex. Metal was shredded, optics were torn to pieces and mind cores imploded into white fluids. The Vex slowly advanced until they did not advance any more at all. They spread out even more to decrease casualties but without further support chances were slim. The heavy gunners cheered as they decimated the enemy. They were so focused they did not notice the hidden enemy from behind. Rudo uncloaked and stabbed his sword into the gunner who was responsible for the deaths of the Vex. The companion was shocked and stabbed by an Elite SpecOps. Another one took control of the turret and fired at the guards who stood no chance against the crossfire. Rudo nodded in approval when the last guard fell to the floor.

"85 percent of the facility has been cleared sir." Khamûl announced over the comms.

"Very well, distribute the list of the captives who are to be transported to the ship now." Rudo ordered.

Doing as told the shadow AI gave each soldier a list of the prisoners who had been chosen to be retrieved. Most were people who had been imprisoned on false charges and those who would support the cause of the empire. The other inmates who had done crimes would get another proposal. A chance of redemption so to speak. Locus and Felix entered the cell compound as the last prisoner was escorted towards the waiting ship.

"We set?" Felix asked Rudo who nodded.

"They're all yours." The Elite said as he left with his own soldiers leaving the mercenaries and some Vex to entertain the criminals. Said prisoners were yelling and shouting in confusion. Some demanded they should be freed as well. Locus grabbed the mic which was connected to the speakers inside the walls.

"Quiet." He ordered. The prisoners all stopped with talking at the command. "As of now we are in charge of this facility." He added. An uncomfortable silence went on for two seconds until a prisoner opened his mouth.

"Well who the hell are you?!" The prisoner yelled.

"Let's let the people person handle this okay?" Felix said as he patted Locus' shoulder and grabbed the mic.

"Listen up. We're looking for soldiers who aren't afraid of killing lots of people for lots of money. We don't care who you are, and we don't care what you've done. Because, quite frankly, we've probably done a hell of a lot worse. All we want are men who can follow orders, and hold their own on the battlefield. We're going to war folks! Now our enemies are in great numbers, but we have allies who are stronger. And they have a badass Forerunner emperor on their side. Now if you survive, you'll be rich enough to live out the rest of your lives as free men." Felix said with all his charm. Murmurs broke out between the inmates about whether they should do it or not.

"Now, if this totally awesome idea doesn't sound like your kind of job, we'll let you out of the facility. But if you're ready to fight for your freedom, then please… firmly grasp the bars of your cell with all your strength in a sign of solidarity." Felix continued making at the end of his speech a gesture of grasping on to something. As seconds went by more and more prisoners grasped the bars of their cells. Some murmurs broke out like 'they don't tell me what to do' but they were drowned out by the at least 90 percent who did accept.

"Well, alright then." Felix said and looked at Locus who nodded to the side.

The Nazgûl AI took notice of the sign and activated the purge protocol. The walls of the cells in the back opened up revealing the vacuum of space which sucked away the ones who did not accept the proposal. With screams of surprise and fear along with agony they disappeared into the cold embrace of space and death. The protocol was only enacted for around five seconds and in those seconds the mercenaries had magnetized themselves to the cold metal prison floor along with the Vex. Khamûl closed the walls again dropping the prisoners who had been clinging on for their dear lives back onto the ground. Many panted and worked away the shock by taking deep breaths. Locus grabbed the mic again.

"Congratulations, you're hired. Welcome to the Mercenary Space Marines." He curtly said before he and Felix walked away towards the command center leaving the prisoners to gather their wits and be escorted by the Vex to the frigate.

As they walked into the command center they noticed Rudo standing there with two Sangheili SpecOps. The efficient AI Khamûl was projected on the holopedestal. Locus was the first to speak.

"These prisoners lack our men's discipline." He pointed out. Felix leaned against the command terminal before responding.

"The emperor wants to even numbers. You got any better ideas?" Felix shot back. At that moment one of the mercenaries entered the room.

"Locus, Felix, we got a prisoner who doesn't really look up to par. Smartass put two and two together and tied his bedsheets around his waist before the purge." The man reported. Locus let out a 'huh' in thought about the idea.

"Quick thinking." Felix remarked.

"He asked to speak with you, says he has something you need." The mercenary further said. Both leader mercenaries looked at each other before looking back at their subordinate.

"Bring him in." Locus ordered. The man nodded and exited the room to get the prisoner.

"Could he know you from somewhere?" Rudo asked with an inquisitive tone. Felix shrugged at him.

"We've run into a lot of people who didn't have the best relationship with ONI. There's always a chance there is someone who knows us. We're some of the best mercenaries there are." Felix answered.

"If he knows us then he must be someone we can cooperate with. Those who we can't with are mostly dead." Locus added.

The door opened again and in front of the mercenary stood a man with dark skin in the usual prisoner garb. They slowly walked inside and the man took position in the center of the room. The mercenary who had brought him in walked to the left and stood guard at the wall ready to do anything if needed. The mysterious man looked at the dead bodies on the ground with an impassive face before he politely addressed the occupants of the room.

"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Aiden Price." He said with a calm and soothing voice like that of psychologist.

"Okay, well, Price, here's the deal. We're looking for soldiers, not… whatever the hell you're supposed to be." Felix said as he gestured to Price.

"You say you have something we want?" Locus said with the intent of finding out what Price was up to.

"No, I have something you need. The Forerunner emperor you mentioned, am I correct to assume he has a, grudge, against ONI? Like for killing him thanks to Sara Michelle? And did he gain knowledge about you and this facility after an interrogation?" Aiden Price said. Rudo instinctively tensed and so did Locus and Felix. A minuscule movement that Aiden noticed.

"How would you know that?" Locus questioned although it sounded more like a demand.

"I know everything there is to know about my agents. As the… former director of ONI sector ten. I helped in molding her. ONI threw me in this prison facility because she screwed up. Something I want revenge for. I know many things such as protocols, plans, base locations, listening posts and so on. They're all housed, right here." Price said as he tapped his head. "And I can give them to you." He added. Felix chuckled as he walked up to Price.

"Hate to cut your life-line short, director, but soon we'll already have access to a lot of intelligence on the UNSC and ONI." Felix countered.

"If you're referring to documents in a secret ONI facility, you should know, that is merely the tip of the iceberg." Price shot back.

"I think you're bluffing." Felix stated as he leveled his pistol at the director's head.

"Did you know there is a secret sensor post close to the UEG border which is able to detect preemptive strikes on multiple worlds? Or that there is a hidden base on Eridanus II in the Eridanus system full with weapons and vehicles. Or that in the same system there are still a lot of insurrectionists who could easily be swayed to your side? No?" Price argued making a very good point. Rudo and Locus watched in silence at him knowing Price could be an asset with multiple advantages if put to use. With an inwardly smirk Price continued his calm tirade.

"Then I also doubt you know there is an inmate aboard this prison that shares a history with the Spartans. One who would undoubtedly prove useful to you if he were… properly guided." Price finished. Another silence fell over the room for a while. That silence was broken with the voice of no one else but Felix.

"Quick thinker, _and_ quick talker! We're gonna get along great." Felix said after lowering the gun as he grabbed Price's shoulder before sliding his arm over the other one.

"The second inmate, take us to him." Locus ordered with professionalism.

"Of course." Price said as he was guided outside by the mercenaries.

Rudo clicked his mandibles and gestured for his fellow Sangheili to leave. The SpecOps members nodded respectfully and left without a sound. He turned his gaze to the silent Nazgûl. The AI immediately understood what the general wanted and activated the comms. Within some moments the hologram of Soundwave fully dressed in his armor appeared.

"Rudo, I trust the operation went well?" Soundwave inquired to receive a report on the successful operation.

"Yes sir, the operation was a success. The ship and codes worked perfectly along with the aid of the mercenaries. We have the inmates aboard the frigate and our partners have recruited new soldiers. All in all this was rather easy." Rudo responded. Soundwave nodded in appreciation.

"Good work, I await your return. I can tell you that Jul has successfully raided the secret base and in his path he has also destroyed a sensor array. We can now complete our final preparations for the invasion. Return to Archeologis as soon as possible. I need another meeting with the senate and other representatives on certain matters. Felix and Locus will attend as well." Soundwave said. Rudo acknowledged and said his goodbye before leaving with Khamûl.

"It's this cell sirs." The mercenary from earlier said as he and the rest arrived at the sealed cell where the special inmate was.

"Well open up." Felix ordered. The mercenary nodded and hit the button to open the door. It opened up and the bars also disappeared into the ground.

A man with only the standard issue prison pants as clothes stood up. Felix noticed how tall the guy actually was. He had multiple tattoos on him with the shark mouth on his chest the most noticeable. He had dark short hair and his right eye had the color green. The other one however was black since the left side of his face was badly scarred. It was a horrific wound and made the tall imposing man even more intimidating. He rolled his shoulders and smirked at the audience in front of him. Just looking at him told you he was a born killer and was damned good at his job.

"Oh ho ho, now this is what I'm talking about." Felix said in delight to which Locus grunted in response.

…..

"Are we ready?" Soundwave asked as he sat down on the glass throne within the Vex dimension. In the back of the room stood rows of Vex. Close to soundwave however stood the elite Precursors and Atheon at his side.

" **We can begin now. I bring forth their leaders."** Atheon responded before shining a bright blue light. It caused a space-time distortion in front of the throne and when the light died out a flash erupted. In its place were now six beings.

Three of them were the Eliksni or otherwise known as the Fallen. The Eliksni are an agile race with four arms and two legs, giving them the ability to scale walls with ease. The race expresses a complex understanding of technology as they possess advanced armor, weapons, vehicles, and space-faring capabilities. The Fallen have four eyes that glow a bright white-blue when they are alive, but once killed, the light dies out. In their mouths are two rows of sharp, knife-like teeth but they were mostly concealed by their helmets. The three were each a Kell indicating there were three houses. The shortest Kell but still tall of course had a white cloak which concealed the left side of the Kell's body. The tallest Kell had a dark red cloak which acted like a cape. The third Kell had a helmet similar to Skolas' one and also a pitch-black cloak.

The other three were different in many aspects though. For they were the militaristic Cabal, a race of giant bipedal humanoids. The Cabal empire is a military-industrial complex determined to expand and conquer, and is characterized by size, with everything about the Cabal being massive, from soldiers to equipment and vehicles. The race also expresses a complex understanding of technology, seen with advanced armor, weapons, vehicles, and the art of space-faring. The largest one was clearly a fleet commander. His frame packed blue and red armor. His subordinates had some sort of wings at the back of their armor. One had red armor while the other had blue armor.

Soundwave looked at each very carefully before he spoke loudly.

"Welcome, those who have been lost in time, to my hall." He greeted politely. The six visitors looked around confused before it was one of the Kells that spoke.

"What is happening, where are we, who are you?!" The red cloaked Kell questioned with a raised voice which showed he wanted answers.

"Indeed what is the meaning of this?" The white cloaked Kell agreed in a feminine voice.

"Before you continue your tirade let me introduce myself. My name is Soundwave, I am an Exo and leader of these Vex. This here is Atheon, my fellow leader of the Vex minds. You were trapped in the Vex dimension and suspended in time. For how long is up for debate. I've had you brought before me because I have a proposal for you which includes your freedom. But first I ask of you to tell me how you got stuck here in the first place." Soundwave explained. The large Cabal took a step forward and began his tale.

"I am Primus Ta'aun, fleet commander of the Skyburners. My subordinates here are Valus Tlu'urn and Valus Mau'ual. We are a legion consisting of Cabal who supported the former Cabal Emperor before he was killed. The new one was unworthy of leading us into battle. Others joined us and together we left the Cabal Empire seeking a new cause. We are warriors to the heart and need a new civilization to fight for. We jumped into space but a space anomaly occurred. Before we knew what was going on we were blinded until there was nothing but darkness. The next thing we know is standing here in your hall." Ta'aun summarized. From the Kells it was the black cloaked Kell who spoke this time.

"I am Velviks, Kell of the House of Creation. My House was the greatest in creation back on our destroyed planet. We can make anything from food to weapons. The Kell with the red cloak is Kykak, Kell of the House of Blood. They are the best warriors our kind has to offer and naturally they were the military on our home planet. Last but not least is our Kell with the white cloak of course. She is known as Nilkryks, Kell of the House of Stars. Her House is the best we have in space travel and space combat. Our Houses made the Pact of Three. Our Houses are allied with each other and seek to reestablish our civilization on a new world. With our homes destroyed by the Darkness we now seek new lives. We were to link up with other surviving Houses but their declaration of the Great Machine as a demon was talk of madmen. We left the solar system and warped away. Just as these Cabal we were blinded by a light before seeing nothing more than darkness. Now we stand here before you." The Kell explained with an aged voice that rang of wisdom.

"Well now that we have introduced ourselves I will let you hear my proposal. I am the emperor of another empire, the Galactic Empire. I am unfortunately at war with a human civilization known as the Unified Earth Government. My empire has only been created not so long ago and it was made out of the remains of another empire known as the Covenant. Its races see me as a god since I am the only one who remained of an ancient advanced civilization called the Forerunners. I am in need of warriors who will fight for the empire. I humbly ask you if you would join the Galactic Empire. I will provide you with homes and purpose. I swear it on my honor as a warrior." Soundwave told them. The six leaders conversed with each other before Valus Mau'ual asked something.

"How many are part of this empire?" He asked curiously.

"We are an empire of approximately eight different races. Seven are from the former Covenant while the newest addition is standing in this very hall, the Vex. There are also some humans who are working with us and there is also the defensive artificial intelligences known as Prometheans. They were created by the Forerunners and now serve me." Soundwave answered respectfully. Mau'ual nodded and whispered something to his shield-brother.

"Do you think they'll agree to join the empire?" Ghost asked mentally.

"They were captives of the Vex realm and seek a home or purpose. If I were them I would join." Soundwave answered.

"We have come to a decision." Velviks the old Kell said.

"And so have we." Ta'aun added.

"Very well, go ahead." Soundwave told them with a nod.

"If we are given homes to shelter our people we will fight in name of the Galactic Empire with vigor and strength." Velviks vowed.

"If we are allowed to settle down and wage war in your name for honor we shall join as well. Your foes will face our weapons, taste their own blood and hear our battle cries." Ta'aun vowed as well.

"Then I shall set you free from your prison and welcome you in our Galactic Empire." Soundwave said sealing the deal. Atheon once again shone a bright light and transported everyone away.

Jul 'Mdama was a man who had seen many things. He had seen Forerunner machinery and creations which could make spectacles of imagination. He had seen many battles and surprises as well. But when an armada of ships appears out of nowhere in space around Archeologis he felt his mandibles go slack. He quickly recomposed himself and turned towards the operatives on his bridge. Just before he wanted to shout to take action his comm beeped. It was the frequency of his emperor so naturally all of his attention went to it. With quick haste he activated the comm and answered the emperor's call. Instantly a hologram of Soundwave appeared in front of him.

"Fleetmaster 'Mdama, the ships that have entered our territory are not to be fired upon." Soundwave swiftly and sternly ordered.

"Very well my lord, but who are they?" Jul asked curiously. Soundwave smirked at his subordinate.

"They are new citizens of the empire and believe me when I tell you that they pack quite the punch." Soundwave answered before signing off.

Jul 'Mdama looked again at the large amounts of ships and noticed there were two groups. Each had a different kind of spacecraft but the amount was that of an entire fleet. Multiple crew members looked in awe at the newly arrived ships and took in as many details as they could. Eventually some ships were cleared to enter the planet's orbit. The either strangely shaped or blocky ships passed the imperial fleet and remained at a safe distance. From various hangars dropships exited and flew towards the surface.

Back on the ground an entire welcoming party stood ready at the grand boulevard. Aside from the curious bystanders who had gathered there was also the military to represent the imperial army. Lines of vehicles and soldiers stood in rows at attention. In the middle stood Soundwave himself with his most trusted advisors. He gazed at the sky and noticed the multiple Skiffs and Harvesters descending towards him. In the past he would have pulled out a rocket launcher and blasted the dropships to smithereens but now it was a very different situation. He was surprised to see there were actually larger versions of the dropships. The large Harvester model could probably transport a Goliath tank. The same could be said about the larger Skiffs. The multiple transports touched down and opened their doors. Soundwave quickly identified the three Kells and the three Cabal leaders.

" _Here we go."_ Soundwave thought as he began his duties as emperor.

"Greetings emperor of the Galactic Empire, we are honored to join your ranks if this is but a presentation." The Cabal fleet commander praised as he looked at the disciplined soldiers standing in rows with their weapons in a salute.

"Indeed, this is a marvelous display." The Kell of the House of Blood, Kykak, said with a tone that indicated he was impressed. The other Kells nodded and so did the shield brothers.

"I am pleased to hear that. Now if you would follow me then we can properly and officially include you in the empire." Soundwave said and led the leaders toward his citadel.

…..

"End of wargames, fireteam majestic wins." The AI in charge of the wargames simulator announced over the speakers of the _Infinity_.

Thorne sighed as he pulled off his helmet. He was sweating after that intense match he had. With the war beginning soon the Spartan IVs were put through a lot of simulations and training. He knew command wanted the best for them and also wanted to prepare them for many different situations but this was a lot more than he expected. Some of the scenarios were just straight overkill in his opinion. His squad mates seemed to agree with him except for DeMarco and Madsen. DeMarco has the idea it is good for them and will prepare them for the war. Madsen just thinks it's fun to play wargames the whole time.

"Hey Thorne, get your ass over here!" Hoya yelled over the field.

"Coming!" Thorne yelled back. He began sprinting past some wreckage and joined up with his friend. Grant and Madsen were there as well but DeMarco was nowhere to be seen.

"Our glorious leader had to go talk to commander Palmer. Apparently there are new arrivals in the hangar at the moment. We were going to take a look at them. You wanna join us?" Grant asked with a grin.

"Sure why not, but after that I am so taking a shower. But first dinner of course." Thorne answered. Madsen walked up to him and sniffed a bit. He frowned and backed away while waving in front of his nose.

"Phew man, take at least three of them!" He said giving the rest a good laugh at Thorne's expense.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up." Thorne said walking away but with a smirk.

The walk was filled with joyful chatter as if no one knew about the upcoming fights. They were walking past some marines when Thorne noticed they were hauling crates full with ammo and weapons. He had heard from the quartermaster the storages were full to the brim with weaponry. There was even supposed to be a new shipment of Spartan armor for the new recruits. They passed the door leading to the hangar and they were surprised to not only see new Spartans. There were ODSTs, new vehicles and marines and so on. Hoya whistled at the sight.

"Well would you look at that. I didn't know captain Lasky and commander Palmer put up such a request of troops. Was that just a Mantis?" He remarked.

"Yeah, look at that crate full of Spartan lasers. What do you see Madsen?" Grant asked the sniper who was looking very attentively at a landing platform. The rest followed his line of sight only to see a bunch of female marines talking with each other.

"Oh Madsen quit it will ya. Before you know it you're hitting on a superior officer again." Thorne said with a smile as he shook his head. Madsen grinned broadly as crossed his arms.

"Never stopped me before." He said with confidence.

"But you never actually scored either." Grant shot back.

"Ouch, right in the heart." Madsen said with his hand over his chest in fake hurt. The rest of the team chuckled and fell in silence.

"I hope most of this people will survive the coming battles. Including us of course." Thorne spoke up to which Hoya placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry buddy, we're fireteam majestic. We complete our missions and get back for a drink." He said with a smile.

"Yeah and we get to look at all the beautiful ladies who will glue themselves to the brave soldiers." Madsen added with his usual smirk.

"Except for you." Grant retorted to which Madsen muttered 'hurts'.

With their spirits renewed the fireteam went to the mess hall to get some food. While fireteam majestic went to grab some food their team leader was stuck in Palmer's office. He sat nervously in his chair at her desk. Why? Because she was glaring at him. In her eyes he could see the beast that wanted to rip something apart and he was nervous, no, terrified that he might be the one who would be on the receiving end of that fury. He gulped for the third time before Palmer finally let out a sigh and stopped glaring. Relief washed over DeMarco like a tsunami wave. He let out a breath he was holding in for like five minutes.

"DeMarco, have you noticed anything strange in the Spartan ranks?" Palmer suddenly asked out of nowhere. DeMarco was instantly taken aback as to why his commanding officer would ask something like that.

"Um, what kind of strange things ma'am?" He asked timidly. He was a Spartan IV but at the moment he felt like a rookie marine sitting in front of a Hunter. Palmer let out another tired sigh.

"Did you notice any strange behavior with the new Spartans? Did they ask inquisitive or perhaps personal questions?" She elaborated. DeMarco thought about it and did remember such an occasion.

"Well there was this new recruit who wanted to know how long I have been stationed here. When I answered the question he also asked me if captain Lasky did anything against protocol or orders. I politely responded that I trust the captain with my life and will respect his orders. After that the guy seemed somewhat, I don't really know, unhappy?" He answered while pondering how the random conversation went. Palmer narrowed her eyes, not a good sign in DeMarco's book.

"Do you remember who it was? Is it one of these recruits?" Palmer asked him as she showed a list of multiple new Spartans. DeMarco took a careful look at the list and his eyes stopped when he saw the photo of a guy with a scar on his right cheek.

"That's him alright." He said as he pointed at the photo. He looked up to see Palmer narrowing her eyes even more.

"Thank you for your time Spartan. You can go now, I bet your team is at the mess hall by now." Palmer said and nodded to him in an appreciative manner.

DeMarco saluted and left the office. Palmer rubbed her temples and took another glance at the picture. She had her suspicions and now they were only strengthened. Normally you would think a recruit asked this normal questions about their new superiors but this recruit was far from young. In fact the man was an ODST before the Spartan program. A man like that would not think badly about his superiors if they made a reckless move. Helljumpers loved it when their commander let them do crazy things. No she knew why he would ask such a question. The warning and order she and Lasky had received from admiral Hood made them double-check everything. It was possible that with the demand for more soldiers ONI would insert agents in multiple factions such as the Spartan IV program. She and Lasky had reviewed the list of new personnel personally until deep in the night. They had their suspicions about who worked for the shadowy organization and they would be very careful with those people.

"Commander Palmer, captain Lasky requests your presence in his quarters." Roland said over her personal comm.

"I'll be there soon." She answered and shut off her computer. She stood up and left the room but before she did that she made sure it was sealed. With possible ONI agents onboard she took no chances.

It didn't take long for her to reach her captain's quarters at all. The fact that she took long steps helped in that matter. She was allowed access and stepped inside the room of her friend. Lasky had decorated the room to make himself and others feel more at ease. Some decorations were even belongings of the captain who was quite attached to them. She saw him sitting at his table with a holographic communicator on it. She identified the first person as admiral Hood himself. The second person was sitting at the table instead of the hologram, doctor Glassman. The third person was none other than doctor Halsey herself. Palmer's blood boiled at the sight of the woman but remained calm. She saluted and was greeted by her fellow officers. She took a glance to the left and also saw blue team lined up waiting for whatever was to come.

"Welcome commander Palmer. The reason why I had Lasky call you here is because there is something we wish to show you all. Something very classified. ONI won't know about this conversation, I can guarantee that. Doctor Halsey?" Lord Hood said and gave the word to the old doctor.

"As you all know except for blue team who might not know all the details, when we recovered the Exo we tried to find out what was inside of him. We linked him to our computers and in doing so awoke him. Now as we all know he went on about mind rape and I finally found out why he was so angry about it." Halsey explained. She typed something and soon a screen appeared on the communicator showing all types of incomprehensible codes. "This is a glimpse of what we found, I've been trying to find out what it all meant and finally had some success." She further explained.

The screen now changed from lines of codes to a picture of a city. It stretched on for quite some time but the most noticeable thing was the gigantic orb floating above it. It was simply huge and took in most of the airspace. The screen changed showing multiple persons in armor. Some wore cloaks while others wore trench coats but what gained the room's occupants were the bulky armored people with some type of cloth at their waist. It took little time and effort to remember that the Exo wore a similar outfit. They saw the armed and armored individuals walking around with guns, conversing with each other, standing at a kiosk with either a blue skinned woman or an android and various other things. The video changed again now showing a bunch of spacecraft in space and more shockingly, around orbit of Earth. Everyone was shocked to the core to see Earth, the human race's birthplace, inhabited by these individuals.

Now it showed the moon with broken buildings along with two types of aliens. One had four arms and four glowing eyes while the other were zombie-like in appearance with three sinister green glowing eyes. Next was a jungle world with the same arachnid aliens but this time there were some they instantly recognized. It was the Vex. Next up were the Vex again albeit in another color but this time there were these big soldier creatures. They were as big as Brutes if not bigger. Various fights were shown with each side fighting for itself. What confused them was that the Vex appeared to be hostile against the armored individuals. Whoever was filming this was being shot at by the machines. The last thing they saw was an underground structure of blocky design and a giant blue Vex. It roared and the screen shut off. A silence fell over the room until Lasky broke it.

"What was that?" He asked uncertainly of what to make of it.

"What you just saw, were the Exo's memories. We somehow extracted these memories and if you didn't know about it, doing this to an AI can indeed be described as 'mind rape'." Halsey clarified. Palmer was still confused and showed it.

"But it makes no sense! That was without a doubt Earth! Why was the Exo there with all those other, whatever they are?!" She asked. That particular question coursed through everyone's head at the moment.

"Well from what I gathered, I would conclude that it's a different reality than ours. Perhaps in the Exo's dimension those aliens sought to destroy Earth and those armored persons were soldiers." Glassman offered.

"If they have an army of Exo's…" Lasky trailed off. No one wanted to know how much damage would be caused if all those individuals came to their dimension.

"There were humans amongst them." Linda stated. Everyone looked to her and Halsey nodded.

"Indeed, I'm not surprised you could see that. It was barely visible but apparently these armored creatures are humans, exos and blue skinned humans. But I'm afraid we can't conclude much with this, I will try to get audio out of it but as far as we know the Exo was either a guardian of Earth or a traitor." Halsey said.

"The Vex were enemies of them, the Exo controls them." The Chief coldly stated.

"That is true and might be possible but if he despised Earth why give us so many chances?" Glassman argued. He couldn't explain it but he had this feeling the Exo was not so bad.

"Just speculating about it won't help. For now we will keep this information in mind and prepare for the final steps of the mobilization of our forces. I will send orders to you soon. Dismissed." Hood spoke up and gave a nod to everyone before the comm shut off.

"Well I think I'm going to get some sleep so if you'll excuse me." Lasky said and was grateful that everyone left except for Palmer.

"You know this is going to be bad right? This war might kill us." She said plainly.

"I know but hey, I'm not planning on dying just yet. That'll probably happen because of all the paperwork I'm getting." Lasky said with a smile. Palmer sighed but her mouth curved into a slight smile nonetheless.

Blue team reached their quarters and sat down at their bunks. Everyone took off their helmet except for the Chief who was buzzing with thoughts. Fred sighed as he knew what his brother was thinking about. He said goodnight to Codes who had fortunately survived the technological assault in the citadel. He looked one more time at the Chief who now began taking off his armor for some sleep. Kelly and Linda did the same so Fred followed suit. Not a single word was said as they all fell asleep with more questions than answers after the conversation.

…..

"Gentlemen, ladies, today is the day. Within the hour we leave and march on towards the enemy. Before we begin our operations are there any questions left?" Soundwave said as he and his inner circle stood inside the war room of the modified imperial CAS-class Assault Carrier _Imperial Armageddon_. Standing with him were his most trusted companions Reya, Rudo and Ghost. Diablo and the Grunt twins were left at Archeologis to maintain order on the planet. Fleetmaster Jul 'Mdama stood at the war table as well with the highest ranking Sangheili and Jiralhanae officers. From the three Kells it were only Kykak and Nilkryks. While the Kell of the House of Blood would lead a ground attack, the female Kell of the House of Stars would secure the skies and space around the target. The three main Cabal leaders were present and there was also the Mercenary Space Marines or the MSM in short. The mercenaries consisted of Felix and Locus but also Aiden Price and a man with the normal mercenary outfit except for the red tints.

"My lord, I believe it would be best to tell the plan once more just in case we missed something." Cabal Fleetmaster Primus Ta'aun said with his deep voice. Soundwave nodded and activated the war table.

"Our preemptive strike will have multiple outer colonies as target. Primarily the most militarized planets we know of thanks to director Price over here." Soundwave began and gestured towards the recovered former ONI director. Some of the officers present looked unhappy with humans having any form of importance in their operations but they relented as it was the will of their emperor. Besides all help was welcome.

"We have codes to cloak ourselves from the UNSC scanners so we should be able to take them by surprise. Intel suggests we should take these planets first: the planet Coral in the Coral system, Verent, Talitsa in the Sverdlovsk system, Mamore in the Eridanus system and last but not least Harvest." Soundwave said.

"Was Harvest not the first planet to be attacked by the Covenant?" Rudo asked.

"Indeed, which is why it has so much importance. The UNSC fought hard to get it back and now it has become an important planet. It's full with military bases and factories but most importantly it is a symbol. A symbol that humanity can reclaim that which is lost. I intend to break that hope." Soundwave explained with a harsh look. Rudo nodded at the logic behind the decision.

"What about the other planets?" Valus Tlu'urn asked.

"Talitsa is a bargaining chip. I have established contact with the human rebels and insurrectionists. They have a network on the planet and if we take it for them so they can establish themselves there they'll help us. The planet used to be mildly controlled by the UEG but with the war they have sent more troops to properly defend it. Since it's mostly a desert planet the Cabal will lead the invasion. Try to make sure they cannot warn anyone or leave. I wish to keep the Cabal and Eliksni as a secret for as long as possible." Soundwave said turning his attention mostly to the Cabal leaders.

"As you command my emperor." The Primus said with a bow of his head.

"What about us then my lord?" Kykak asked.

"The Eliksni will go with other forces to Coral. It has a slightly more than average navy presence because of a shipyard there. I want you to eliminate all hostiles and if possible capture the shipyard. Since the Eliksni are quite advanced in space warfare I'm entrusting you with this task." Soundwave told the two Kells.

"I will lead our ships to glory." Nilkryks said with her soft and calm voice.

"And you can count on me to lead our troops into battle and to victory." Kykak added.

"Very well that leaves Verent and Mamore along with Harvest. Mamore will be attacked by Fleetmaster Jul 'Mdama. Since it has a large military presence you will be in charge of the attack. Know that there is a secret base on Eridanus II I want captured. Verent will be besieged by chieftain Legigus and his troops. I'm giving both of you Prometheans to command." Soundwave further explained.

"As you wish my lord." 'Mdama responded with the imperial salute.

"I'll vanquish the enemy in your name sir." Chieftain Legigus said with the salute as well.

"What about Harvest, it's still unclear what I'll be doing?" Rudo asked.

"I will personally lead the attack. You and Reya will accompany me when we reach the planet." Soundwave answered.

"What about us? Surely you haven't forgotten your favorite human allies." Felix asked with some mock hurt.

"Oh I haven't forgotten about you. I'm charging the MSM with wreaking havoc on the border of the inner colonies. I want you to eliminate important figures, raid supply routes and so on. Make no mistake, you will only target those affiliated with the UNSC or those who have part in the criminal world. No innocents." Soundwave sternly instructed.

"That shouldn't be much of an issue." Price calmly answered.

"We'll act as ordered." Locus promised.

"As long as I get paid." Felix added with a shrug.

"Then that's it. Leave for your ships and be ready to depart." Soundwave ordered. Each officer left the war room and boarded their shuttles.

As for Soundwave and his Sangheili friends, they went to the bridge of the ship to see each ensign working hard at his or her post. Soundwave proceeded to stand at the front of the bridge to look out of the window. He crossed his arms and looked at the large fleet which broke off in smaller fleets. His quickly connected with ship's catalogue and did a quick check. His attention stayed at a particular cargo of machinery. It was the same he had been shown by Diablo in a hangar back on the planet. These new units would be put to use immediately in the upcoming battle. He deactivated the catalogue and turned to a nearby pedestal where Reya and Rudo stood.

"Are we ready to leave?" He asked.

The pedestal came to life as another Nazgûl AI came to life. This one was the strongest and the leader of the AIs. This one still had the same appearance except for the steel helmet/crown hybrid resting on his head. This one was according to Ghost the witch-king, Er-Murazor. With these AI being adored by Ghost. If that wasn't enough the AIs saw Ghost as their father in return. Honestly it both amused and irritated Soundwave.

"All ships have checked in, we are ready to depart." Er-Murazor answered.

"Prepare to enter slipspace at my mark." Soundwave ordered feeling slightly anxious. Alarms blared throughout the fleet. Crew members hurried to their posts and prepared to leave. The other fleets acknowledged the command and readied themselves as well. With a final look at the fleet and the planet Soundwave gave the order.

"Begin operation Imperial Blitzkrieg!" He ordered loudly.

All around the planet gates began to appear through which the various ships entered and headed towards their targets. Soundwave left for his personal quarters and to prepare for his first battle and hopefully first victory.

…..

 **Next up: Let the battles begin!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we go, the beginning of the war. This chapter was a bit difficult to write so instead of focusing on one major battle it will be more of glimpses at different skirmishes.**

 **Please enjoy this chapter!**

…..

Admiral Allemand calmly sipped his coffee as he read a report in his quarters. The admiral was in command of Harvest's defense grid. After the declaration of war he had received many reinforcements since the outer colonies were the quickest and easiest targets. He was busy filling out requisitions for the lack of bombers they had.

The defensive grid had a total of three orbital defense platforms ready with one more in production. His flagship was the UNSC _Rorke's Drift_ , a Valiant-class super-heavy cruiser and served as the command of the fleet stationed at Harvest. Apart of the capital ship there were 4 Autumn-class heavy cruisers, 6 Halcyon-class light cruisers, 2 Epoch-class heavy carriers, 1 Orion-class assault carrier, 10 Charon-class light frigates and 10 Paris-class heavy frigates. Within the week more ships would arrive though, straight from the new shipyards.

Admiral Allemand was confident in his ships and their captains but even with that confidence some worry and doubt went through his head. While the empire utilized as far as they knew the same ships and tech the Covenant had used, there might be some major changes. What if the enemy vessels were equipped with advanced Forerunner weapons? The admiral could fight them off but he did not know how to fight possible weapons of massive destruction.

With a sigh the admiral took a glance at a report that had come in in the morning. Apparently it was a warning from ONI that with a sensor relay destroyed they had to be at full alert. Allemand regarded the note but noticed that the sensor was from a different area. The sensor in the area closest to Harvest was still intact. One thing he was glad for were the new facilities to spot an enemy before they arrived so the UNSC could prepare for an attack.

Allemand deleted the message and went on the next. One from a base on Harvest's surface to be exact. It was the report on the amount of starfighters they had to aid in case of an enemy attack. He had requested the report yesterday and as he reviewed the amount of fighters they had he was glad it was a good amount. An enemy attack would face a large amount of fighters before even reaching the planet.

Admiral Allemand drank his coffee and shut off his desk computer. With a quick stretch he left for the bridge. On his way he passed his crew who saluted him respectfully. The admiral returned the salute and went on like that for some time. He could just nod at them but he personally believed respect was something you had to give to your troops. On his way he encountered his second-in-command executive officer Hahn. The man was around thirty years old and for his whole career in the UNSC he had been stationed on the _Rorke's Drift_ under the command of admiral Allemand. The man from German descent got along nicely with the French admiral even with the two countries' bloody history. In fact the admiral had been teaching his second-in-command and one of these days he was going to recommend him.

"Admiral Allemand, good morning sir." The officer said with a salute and smile. Allemand gladly returned it.

"Good morning Heinrich. How's everything going today?" He asked his pupil.

"Nein, everything is fine so far. It's funny how we're at war and no one has made a first move yet." Heinrich Hahn responded with a slight smile.

"That means less dead so I'm okay with it. Though we should maybe push before the enemy does." The admiral said. They entered a lift which would bring them to the bridge.

"I've heard a part of the fourth fleet is coming to reinforce us." Heinrich said while stretching his neck.

"It's true, they want to use Harvest as a staging point for an assault on a nearby former covenant colony that's now under imperial control. The plan's been in action for at least a week but so far it hasn't really been done yet." Allemand responded casually.

"Huh, I thought we would be ready by now." Heinrich muttered.

"What can I say, lots of work and lots of paperwork unfortunately." Allemand said thinking about the dreadful pile he still had at his office. Heinrich let out a laugh which the admiral shared.

They were going to continue their conversation until the ship's alarms blared. Both high-ranking officers quickly became serious and urged the lift to go faster so they could find out what was going on. The admiral bolted out of the lift as they reached their stop and hurried towards the bridge with Heinrich in tow. On his way many crew members ran to their positions and did so with haste. On the speakers of the ship the AI called for everyone to be ready for an enemy attack. The door to the bridge opened up and Allemand wasted no time in making himself known.

"Status report!" He swiftly ordered. The nearest ensign snapped to attention.

"Admiral our sensors have picked up slipspace contact near our location. We're still trying to identify the source." The woman reported. Allemand had a very good idea but how was it possible to be caught off-guard if they had a secret sensor facility on a deserted moon?

"Get the ships in formation to receive the hostile contacts. Get me linked to the airbases on the planet. Have them send their starfighters up here for battle. Power the MAC cannons, ready archer missiles and prepare yourselves." Admiral Allemand ordered with haste and authority. The crew quickly obeyed and the comm officer began sending out messages to the other ships.

"Sir how do you know it's the enemy?" Heinrich asked as his superior sat down in his command chair.

"I don't." Came the admiral's simple reply.

Indeed moments later multiple holes appeared that shined in the darkness of space. Out of them came a fleet of grey-silver ships. With a quick scan they found out how many.

The imperial fleet consisted out of 20 CRS-class light cruisers, 8 RCS-class armored cruisers, 3 ORS-class heavy cruisers, 3 Battleships, 4 CPV-class heavy destroyers, 3 DDS-class carriers and 1 CAS-class assault carrier.

Allemand made the quick math, he had more than thirty ships along with three orbital defense platforms. He also had multiple starfighters as reinforcements on Harvest to aid in the battle. However the enemy had more than 40 ships with their own starfighters to wreak havoc. He began thinking of an appropriate approach to deal with the threat. They could fire the MAC cannons from a long distance before the enemy reached them and also fire the archer missiles. Given the situation it would be best to target the largest ships before those could cause some real damage.

"How are the MAC cannons?" Allemand asked the weapons officer. The man looked up from his console to answer.

"Almost ready sir, we'll be able to blast them soon." The weapons officer said.

"Sir the enemy is hailing us!" The comm officer said from his own post. The admiral composed himself as he straightened his back.

"Patch them through." He ordered. The comm officer nodded and did as ordered.

Admiral Allemand readied himself for the enemy leader to appear on his screen. He prepared himself to see the face of an Elite, a Brute or even any other species of the empire. Meeting the Galactic Empire's leader, the Exo who is from Forerunner origin, the leader of the mysterious Vex and the one who fended off the assault on the remains of the Covenant himself was not who he expected at all. The entire bridge was as silent as the night. No sound was made as the emperor himself addressed the admiral.

"Greetings admiral, as emperor of the Galactic Empire I am here to respond to your declaration of war. I would normally offer you the chance to surrender but I know you will refuse, insult me and tell me to fuck off." Soundwave said calmly with his hands clasped behind his back.

"You're right about that. Now I would give you the chance to leave but I'm itching to kick your imperial ass." Allemand responded harshly. Soundwave chuckled at the admiral's defiance.

"Please admiral, you will hurt yourself if you kick my metal ass. Save the brave act for when you realize I will break through your defense and invade that planet there." Soundwave replied.

"Harvest will not fall to a tyrant like you." Allemand said standing his ground.

"As if I'm the tyrant. You people don't even know when you're being played." Soundwave responded with a look of small pity.

"Enough of your words. We will beat you and your precious empire." The admiral vowed.

"Surely you must realize you are doomed." Soundwave hissed slowly and menacingly as he disappeared from the comm not wanting to talk anymore. That time was over, the guns would do the talking now.

Soundwave turned his attention from the comm to the holotable which showed the enemy's position. The enemy appeared to be waiting for their MACs to warm up. The smaller vessels stayed close to the big ones for protection. Soundwave quickly relayed to his ships to make distance from each other. He made a quick silent prayer to the Traveler for guidance and protection.

"Will you speak to the troops my lord?" Rudo asked. Soundwave nodded and activated the comms to speak to the troops on his ship and the others. Many crew members stopped in their tracks as their heads snapped to the holograms of their emperor.

"My brave soldiers of the empire, the battle will soon begin. I know many of you will fall in the upcoming storm. Your faces will not be seen again in these halls as you carry out your duty. Know that I am proud to have you all follow me into battle. Together we will destroy our enemy and break their will as ours is greater. Now we fight! We fight not just because of a grudge, we fight because we are imperials! We fight to protect those who have stayed at our home and await news of our victory! Stand with me and together we will triumph! To battle!" Soundwave said with confidence and hope. Roars of approval and courage echoed throughout each ship. Every species of the empire gave its own roar of defiance in the face of the enemy and with more determination they carried on. As the roars on the bridge of the Imperial Armageddon died out Soundwave sat down in his command chair and awaited the moment when the space battle would commence.

"Short but it carries a strong message, just the way I like it." Rudo stated with a smirk.

"They need to be ready and be inspired. I don't like making fancy speeches." Soundwave answered while activating the small holotable to give a better view of the battlefield. Behind him Reya rolled her eyes at his comment.

He began processing the enemy's movements and searching for a response. The admiral was going to rely on the MACs and the orbital defense platforms to deal as much damage as possible. He made a quick calculation and deduced the enemy could fire only one time from a long distance before the imperial vessels would be in range to use their long-range weaponry.

"All missiles have been prepped, plasma torpedoes are ready, everyone has checked in at their post and fighters are ready to depart." Er-Murazor announced.

"And our enemy should be able to fire soon." Ghost added.

"It's their turn now." Reya said as she crossed her arms. Soundwave sub-consciously nodded at her statement. He was busy going over multiple tactics in his head. He had a few surprises for the UNSC in this battle.

"Approach in wedge formation 5." Soundwave ordered. At his command the nearest ships linked with his flagship forming the first group which stayed in the middle. Four other wedge formations were made with the remaining ships. From the UNSC's side they could see four of the wedges in a square while the fifth was in the middle.

Soon light could be seen from the human ships signaling that the MACs were about to fire. As the admiral gave the command all of those MACs fired their projectiles of immense firepower at the imperial ships. Soundwave acted and activated countermeasures. With the newly installed emergency gravity thrusters the ships tried to evade the MACs. Unfortunately the amount was quite big so most of the enemy shots hit the ships. The flagship was no exception as Soundwave felt the MAC shot impact against their shields. He had also given the command to direct all power from non-essentially stations towards the shields. The _Imperial Armageddon_ suffered damage from two MACs and shook from the impact.

"Status report!" He swiftly ordered.

"Our shields are at 79% sir!"

"Two of our ships have lost their shields."

"One of our destroyers has a breach and is venting air."

"Three of our light cruisers have been crippled!"

"Multiple ships have their shields drained."

"We lost an armored cruiser!"

Soundwave listened attentively to the alerts of the ensigns. The damage was minimal but only because the orbital defense platforms hadn't fired yet. If he wanted those out of commission he would need to do it fast. He turned his attention to the bridge as he decided on what to do.

"Are the plasma torpedoes ready?" He asked them.

"Yes sir!" The weapons officer answered.

"Then fire!" Soundwave ordered.

From the hulls of the imperial ships many torpedoes were launched. They all headed towards the human fleet which countered with their point-defense weapons. The turrets began to fire quickly at the incoming guided explosives. A lot of the torpedoes were eliminated before they managed to get to their targets but many came through. The various torpedoes scored as they drained the shields of the ships they had impacted against. Some of the UNSC smaller vessels even had small explosions and began venting air as well. Soundwave watched the bright spectacle and before the human fleet could retaliate he gave his next order.

"Fire the arc missiles followed by void missiles!" He ordered immediately with great haste.

The message was sent to the other cruisers and simultaneously the ships' captains did as was commanded. Instead of torpedoes it were rockets of imperial design as they were launched from their missile silos. The UNSC had just recovered from the first barrage of explosive projectiles and had to deal with the next one. They saw the blue or purple glowing weapons flying straight at them and soon point-defense weaponry had to be activated again. Colorful explosions brightened the darkness as some of the weapons were shot down. Yet just like last time a number of them got through. The results were shocking in multiple ways.

Due to the nature of the weapons which were used the results were different than the plasma torpedoes who had done their jobs at weakening the enemy ships. The arc missiles detonated on impact and released their electrical ammunition. The shocking energy spread out and greatly reduced the shields of the UNSC vessels. They were like an EMP but only more precise and useful. Some of the weapons on the ships actually short-circuited because of the discharged arc energy. The void missiles on the other hand dealt other damage to them. The void energy appeared to have a corrosive effect on the hulls of the ships. The purple energy slowly ate away at the armor of the frigates and destroyers.

The imperials watched on at the devastating effect their new weapons had in amazement. Soundwave merely smirked as his tactic had worked. The enemy might still have the huge MACs but now they were in a bad spot facing the imperial vessels.

On the bridge of the UNSC _Rorke's Drift_ admiral Allemand coughed as he stood up again. That last missile had shaken the bridge fiercely. He spotted some of the ensigns who had some wounds but nothing serious. His second-in-command quickly made his way to his leader.

"Sir are you alright?" He asked in concern for his superior.

"I'm fine Heinrich. What is our status?" Allemand asked as he sat down again in his seat.

"I'm afraid we're in a tight spot sir. At least six frigates have been crippled due to those electrical weapons. Two frigates have been destroyed as well. Our destroyers and carriers were damaged but are still working. The destroyer _The Sword_ reported it has to restart its systems. What should we do sir?" Heinrich Hahn asked his mentor. Allemand searched for a solution and did so with haste.

"How are the orbital defense platforms?" He asked.

"They're ready be now according to captain Robinson." Heinrich answered as he had talked to the man when he had called to report that the giant MACs were ready.

"Then tell him to fire when we launch our archer missiles. Let's show them how we fight!" Allemand said to the whole bridge to raise morale.

"Sir, the fighters you requested from the ground are inbound and should arrive soon." An operative reported to the admiral who nodded.

"Prep our own fighters to depart as well." He told the operative who hurried to do so.

Now it was the empire to be alarmed as all of the human ships launched their staggering amount of archer missiles that flew right at them. The point-defense pulse lasers were activated and fired at the swarm of enemy projectiles. The _Imperial Armageddon_ did a better job at it since a Nazgûl AI was operating it.Some quickly fabricated dumb AIs did the same on the other ships. Just before the archer missiles hit their targets Soundwave ordered everyone to brace themselves. Just like the imperials had done the humans did their own damage when it came to missile weaponry. Some of the lighter cruisers and destroyers had their shields drained with sometimes to the point they failed.

Soundwave grit his metal plates against each other as he saw a cruiser going down in flames. Damage on his own ship was minimal but then he noticed the orbital defense platforms firing. He gave the command again to evade but none of the shots missed. One ripped an armored cruiser apart and the two others took down a heavy cruiser. But by now the imperial fleet was in range to launch fighters.

"Send out the first wave of fighters and have them meet the enemy fighters in the middle. Once they are fighting we will launch the second wave with the Dusk bombers and prioritize their left flank along with the destroyer there. Send the calculated coordinates to the second battlegroup." Soundwave ordered. His commands were carried out as the pilots scrambled to their fighters.

The first to leave were the Seraphs followed by the space Banshees. The waves of fighters flew out of their ships and joined up as they went towards the enemy. The humans responded likewise as they too launched their fighters. The UNSC's Longswords and Broadswords flew to intercept the incoming fighters. As the two flocks neared it each other the imperial ships also went forward. Soon contact was made between the two groups and fighters opened fire on the enemy. Both sides locked on their targets and fired their rockets at each other. Many of them died just by arriving and within moments it became a mess of squadrons fighting each other. As soon as a light cruiser neared it began to support the fighters with its point-defense lasers. Seeing the threat of the enemy ships the human destroyers and frigates also moved up to meet the challenge head on. A few of the ships stayed behind to guard the flanks.

Some of the brave pilots the UNSC had flew past the Seraphs and Banshees straight at a light frigate. The commander of the vessel immediately prioritized the fighters with the point-defense pulse lasers and alerted the closest fighters for support. The UNSC pilots evaded the lasers with deadly precision though. Once they got close enough they fired their rockets straight at the hull. The leader of the squadron looked at the rockets and saw solar flares coming from the hull. Due to the special flares the missiles changed course as they were attracted to the defensive countermeasures. The leader quickly reported to command about it but was cut off as his fighters bursted into flames thanks to a Seraph. The rest of the squadron found themselves along with other pilots cut off from the rest as a cruiser had come between them and the main fighter battle. With pulse lasers and imperial fighters from all sides the UNSC pilots could only try to escape or die trying.

With the enemy close enough the second wave was launched at the command of the emperor. From the hangars more squadrons came followed by the new Dusk bombers. The aerial fortresses flew through a cleared path made by the first assault groups straight at a vulnerable frigate. Its cannons changed target but was slow to do so. Some Broadswords had noticed the Dusks and came right at them. The fighters lined up behind the bombers and had a first squad distract the Seraph escort.

Some of the imperials chased after the Broadswords but the others stayed in formation. The remaining Broadswords spread out and attacked the enemy from behind, below and above. They were rather surprised to see turrets aimed at them when they made their attack run. The Grunts or Jackals manning the turrets released a fury of plasma bolts on the Broadswords that tried to evade the shots. Some of the less skilled pilots received damage because of the turrets and some even died. The Broadswords did manage to shoot back but due to the strong shields of the bombers damage was minimal. When the broadswords got in front of the bombers they received the blunt of the combined front guns and Seraph fire. With the fighter threat gone the bombers continued their path.

Onboard of the Paris-class frigate _Amazon_ the commanding officer watched the squadron of bombers come closer and closer.

"Target those fighters at once!" He ordered the ensigns who began working on it. The point-defense cannons of the heavy frigate turned towards the threat and opened fire simultaneously.

Due to their large bulk the bombers had more trouble with evading the barrage of incoming fire as they steered to the left or right or even down or up. The shields were strong but they could only take so much before dying out. One of the Dusks was so unfortunate to be blown apart by the frigate. Luckily other bombers got in range to fire their wing-mounted cannons and missiles. In perfect sync the Dusks fired away at the frigate. The cannons were now divided in taking down both bombers and rockets. In the end the bombers payload got through and crippled the ship. Guns were blown apart, engines were destroyed and the bridge along with its crew was reduced to fire and ash. The frigate made a few more explosions as it finally went down. The Dusk squadron passed the carcass of the ship and went to a next target. With the first line of defense broken and a path made the squadron broke off into smaller groups to attack more ships.

On the bridge of the _Imperial Armageddon_ Soundwave observed and assessed. By now the enemy fleet had lost already more than a fourth of its ships and also a large chunk of their fighter support. The sensor operative did mention more of those Longswords and Broadswords coming from Harvest straight at them. Soon they would have to deal with more of those pesky fighters.

His optics darted to the sidelines of the battle as some imperial ships exited slipspace. Prior to the start of the battle had send those ships filled with aerial units and shock troops close to the system but far enough to not be noticed. When the battle would commence they were going to send coordinates for those ships to arrive. Now with the ships out of the UNSC fleet's reach they would begin softening up the enemy. He grinned as the ships already started unloading their cargo but grimaced as another ship went down thanks to an orbital defense platform. He was fed up with them and now was the time to strike.

"Rudo, are the boarding craft ready?" He asked the general at his side.

"Yes sir, all boarding craft are full with soldiers and ready to go." Rudo answered. Soundwave stood up and went to the door followed by his guards and Reya while Ghost floated at his side.

"I'm leaving the rest up to you general." Soundwave said with confidence that Rudo would manage in his absence. The general saluted his leader and nodded in confirmation.

"How are we going to take those cannons out?" Reya asked as they went to one of the boarding craft.

"From within, we're going to board one of the orbital defense platforms while other troops will board the remaining ones. We however are not going to destroy the cannon, we're going to take control of it." Soundwave explained.

"I take it Ghost will be doing that? I hope he's up to the task." Reya questioned in which Ghost responded by glaring at her.

"Well why don't you go hacking a giant space cannon? I managed to hack the UNSC's flagship so thank you very much for the support." He retorted indignantly.

"Easy Ghost I was teasing you. Sorry if I hurt your ego." Reya said with a smirk. Ghost just grumbled and turned away. Soundwave chuckled and readied his gun as they went on.

…..

"All pilots to their fighters! I repeat, all fighters to their fighters! Incoming imperial air attack!" Someone announced over the speakers on the airbase close to a marine base.

From their barracks various soldiers ran to their positions as the alarms blared of an incoming attack. People began to arm the AA-guns and ran into the hangars. First class pilot Eric ran to the hangar that housed the Broadswords of his squadron. On his way he was joined by his fellow pilot and member of black squadron Jenkins. The two had been through the academy together and now had their own Broadswords to fly through the sky.

"Looks like we're seeing some action Eric!" Jenkins yelled with a smile which Eric returned. Both had been dying to fly into combat since day one and now they finally got their wish.

"I bet I'll get more of them than you." Eric challenged.

"In your dreams pal!" Jenkins answered as he climbed into his plane.

Eric did the same and left the hangar. He was at the back of the squadron as they waited for permission to leave. The other eleven fighters rose into the air as soon as they were given the command. Eric followed suit with an excited feeling as his fighter went up. The squadron immediately assumed formation like they were told to do so in training. Black leader wasted no time in explaining their objectives.

"Alright everyone we're going to intercept enemy fighters in this quadrant. Apparently we're dealing with Seraphs and Banshees but looks like the imperials got a new toy. Some sort of bomber with turrets according to the navy. We're going to take those sons of bitches out, am I right black squadron?!" the leader said with confidence in his voice.

"Sir, yes sir!" The collective answer came from his pilots.

"Look out after each other and don't play hero. We're going to have to stay in one piece for quite some time if we want to protect Harvest." Black leader reminded them.

"Don't worry sir, those imperials won't know what hit them." A pilot said.

And so they continued their flight until something popped up on their radar. As they checked it out the squadron noticed a squadron of Seraphs and Dusks flying towards them. The enemy group consisted out of five Dusks and ten Seraphs. As they neared the imperial group they saw some banshees flying close to the bombers. The defending pilots wasted no time in splitting up to attack from different angles. Eric and Jenkins teamed up with black three and six as they made an attack run from above.

"Let's kick some ass!" Black three yelled as she took the lead.

The Broadswords opened fire on the various imperial aircraft with rockets and machine guns. The top turrets of the Dusks returned fire forcing the human fighters to commence evasive maneuvers. A shot from the nearest bomber did hit Jenkin's Broadsword but its shields held out. As they flew past the imperial group they had destroyed a Banshee and a Seraph but when they passed them three Seraphs chased them. They seemed to target black six as they fired plasma at her.

"These assholes won't go away!" She said while evading the Seraphs. Eric saw one of them hit black six's wing and also noticed her shields failing.

"Get out of there black six!" He yelled as he turned around and shot at the Seraphs to rescue his comrade.

Unfortunately the Seraph pilots were relentless in their pursuit and one of them fired a projectile at the Broadsword. Eric watched in horror as it found its mark on the engine of the aircraft. A chain of explosions occurred within the vehicle and blew apart. Eric cursed loudly and kept on firing at the Seraphs. The imperials evaded except for the one that shot down Eric's comrade. The two Seraphs flew away while black three and Jenkins joined up with Eric.

"Damn it! Black leader this is black three, we just lost black six." She announced.

"Copy that black three, we took down one of those bombers but lost black seven in the progress. Regroup and continue your assault." The leader of black squadron ordered.

"Affirmative sir." Black three answered as she and her companions headed towards the direction of the others.

While they had been chased by those Seraphs the rest of the squadron had been taking down some of the imperial group. Onboard of the leading Dusk the Elite minor in charge of the comms and other tasks just received a message from the fleet about a new target.

"Sir, we just received coordinates of an enemy base spotted by our scouts. I am giving you them now." The Minor said as he did so.

"Very well, send these coordinates to the others." The Major in charge replied while flying to the right towards the target.

"Enemies coming from our right!" A Grunt gunner announced.

Indeed the Broadswords had returned for another attack run. The Grunt aimed at the incoming fighters and opened fire. Unlike the Covenant did, the Grunts serving in the military now received better training. While the training was cut short thanks to the war they still knew a lot more about tactics and discipline. The first shots were intended to force the enemy to evade. With that action the fighters would have more trouble with getting a good lock but once they got close the gunners would focus on a certain target. The Grunt chose one and managed to damage its wing. It let out a cheer but then the bomber shook. One of the human fighters had dealt some damage in retaliation.

"We got some problem at our tail!" The Jackal gunner in the back reported.

"On it!" The Elite Minor said as he sprinted to fix it.

Meanwhile Jenkins cursed as he saw some smoke coming from his left wing.

"Hey Jenkins you alright?" Eric asked as he flew at the side of his friend.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a lucky shot." Jenkins assured his pal.

"I've got one on my six!" Black four yelled as he was chased by two Banshees.

"Coming!" Eric said as he spotted black four and the Banshees. He closed in on the two imperial vehicles and locked on to them. With a beep of confirmation he shot two rockets at the Banshees. The two couldn't dodge this attack and went down in flames.

"Thanks black twelve, I owe you one." The saved pilot told his savior.

"No problem." Eric replied as they both went back to the rest of their squadron.

"Everyone form up on me." Black leader announced. The remaining seven Broadswords joined up on him.

"What happened to black ten, two and seven?" Jenkins asked with dread.

"Shot down, I know Samantha crash-landed but it's uncertain if she's still alive." Black eight said.

"Sir those bombers have changed course." Black three remarked.

"Shit they're headed towards the marine base! Let's go, we need to take them down." Black leader yelled in realization.

The remaining fighters quickly went after the bombers and noticed half of the escort had disappeared. Then the alarms went off. Apparently the imperial fighters had snuck away only to ambush the Broadswords from behind. Within moments everyone broke off and engaged their own target. It became a dogfight while the bombers approached their targets. Eric and Jenkins teamed up and took down another Seraph while the others took care of their own problems.

Eric performed a flip as he shook off the Banshee that had been on his tail. He the ducked and opened fire when another Banshee flew by. The shields held out for a few seconds but died out under the continuous stream of bullets. The Banshee erupted into flames and went down.

Seeing that they were the only ones who were free to go, black leader ordered them to pursue the bombers with him. The three left the other to clean up the Seraphs while they went to the deadlier threat. Passing a cloud they finally saw the familiar sight of the new aircrafts.

"Alright since we're down to three we'll fire all our missiles at them in the hope some hit. After that we'll just have to fall back." Black leader said.

"But sir if they get to the base who knows what damage they'll do!" Jenkins argued.

"We don't have the firepower nor manpower to take those things down! Just follow orders and try to survive." The leader retorted with some anger.

"Yes sir." Jenkins said as he relented to the logical explanation.

And so the fighters lined up behind the bombers and fighters. Their targeting systems worked on acquiring as many targets as they could. The systems announced that the procedure was ready and with the push on a button a bunch of missiles flew away at the targets. The gunners on the back desperately tried to shoot the incoming projectiles but failed to do so save for two or three. The rockets hit their targets unless they managed to evade. Two Banshees went down along with two Seraphs and a Dusk that was already damaged. With a heavy heart the pilots broke off and went to link with their squadron.

The remaining Dusks closed in on the marine base. The Minors in charge of choosing the bomb drop locations worked furiously as they pointed out the targets. As first barrage the bombers dived somewhat and fired the cannons and some missiles of their own. The base knew they were coming but even that did not prevent the true threat the new bombers posed. From that barrage alone vehicles were flung aside, guard towers collapsed, people were blown away and fire raged on.

When the bombers actually flew above the base and dropped their bombs, true horror was what occurred. Buildings were destroyed, munition storages were blown up, craters adorned the roads and most of all a lot of people died. When the group passed the base they had only lost a Seraph thanks to AA-fire. The former marine base was now in shambles and only a fifth of the vehicles stored there survived. The personnel stationed there lost two third of their comrades in arms. With the strike complete the bombers and their remaining escorts left for the carriers in orbit to rearm and refuel.

…..

Soundwave grasped the railing in the boarding craft as it shook again. They were only halfway there and already there were casualties. If this kept up he would have been better off with just ramming a ship into the platform and conquer its remains. He growled in annoyance at the setback he was having. At least he had received a report the bombing runs were successful with minimum casualties. All they had to do for now was clearing the planet's orbit and then he would be able to set his boots on the ground again where he truly belonged.

"Alert, enemy fighter incoming!" Ghost announced. Soundwave growled and used his light to form a ward around the boarding craft. The Broadswords fired somewhat at it but failed to pierce the barrier and was shot down by the escorts.

"We're almost there so ready yourselves!" Soundwave said loudly for the rest of the craft to hear.

The various Elites and other imperials checked their weaponry one last time and stood ready to go into battle with their leader. With everyone ready they waited for the last seconds before they boarded the platform. The boarding craft shook a few times before it shook more fiercely. When the shaking was done they all undid their restraints and went to the hatch.

Soundwave went first and counted before opening the hatch. He quickly channeled his light into the Striker class and flew out of the craft with great speed. They had landed inside a hallway close to the recreation area which meant they weren't far away from the bridge. The marines guarding the station had surrounded the boarding craft but didn't anticipate guardian flying through the hatch and raise his fists in the air. Arc energy crackled around them and when Soundwave brought them down it released a shockwave of that electrical energy. The marines around him disintegrated on contact and caused some of the station's systems to disorder for a second. Not even ash remained from the remains of the dead marines. Soundwave beckoned for his troops to follow.

"Spread out as planned. Team one to the hangar to reinforce the others, team two to the security area and team three with me to the bridge." Soundwave swiftly ordered. The soldiers gathered their squads and hurried off. Four Elites, two Jackals and two Grunts stayed with him.

They ran through the hall and encountered another squad of marines who were setting up a machine gun turret. The marines were obviously surprised to see the enemy already when they had send another squad to deal with them. The marine in charge yelled some orders and opened fire. Within moments both sides were shooting at each other. The machine gun was almost finished setting up but the gunner was shot in the head by Soundwave using his pulse rifle.

He switched his weapon for his Super Good Advice and loaded the weapon. He turned around his cover and with free aim targeted the marines. The weapon unloaded its heavy solar bullets in the bodies of the human soldiers. The marines were forced into cover and were again surprised but this time by the fact that the gun didn't have to reload. Due to the exotic weapon's abilities such action was unnecessary.

Reya hopped over her cover and aimed her concussion rifle. She spotted an enemy showing his head and targeted his position. She quickly fired two shots that killed the man and flung his body away. She rolled and hid behind cover before she fired the remaining four plasma grenades at some cover.

She reloaded the rifle and then pulled out two plasma rifles. She motioned to two of the accompanying Elites to follow on her command. The two soldiers nodded and readied themselves. Just as Soundwave took a break of giving suppressing fire the marines presented themselves. Reya gave the command and the three of them popped out of cover and fired at the marines who were slower than them. Bit by bit the marines were pushed back. A plasma grenade forced them all to retreat.

"Move up!" Soundwave ordered as he sprinted off towards the fleeing marines.

He exited the hallway to find himself in a long white hall with a small tram station. The defenders here were ready for him and opened fire with placed machine guns. Soundwave reacted by diving for a nearby crate. He focused on the area wide enough for summoning the Vex. The marines were confused by the multiple fog groups appearing and more so when the Vex arrived. Immediately the Minotaurs took front and fired their torch hammers. The void blasts were aimed for the machine guns and the people operating them. The Minotaurs were partially successful but a smarter marine used a rocket launcher on one of them causing the shield to go down and a machine gun to rip it apart.

Soundwave switched to his shotgun and joined the fray. He jumped and used his lift ability to go over the makeshift barricades. The closest marines in his vicinity were hit by flaming shotgun shells. Soundwave evaded a knife from a marine who decided to close in on him. He slashed at the guardian who brought up his arm to block. When the knife hit the gauntlets the man was thrown back with broken bones thanks to the exotic's ability.

Another marine charged him with her rifle and a battle cry. Soundwave twirled the shotgun and used it as a bat to knock the soldier on the ground and delivered a shell into her head. By now the Goblins were swarming the marine positions. With the lines broken it was easy to advance towards the control station. The Vex secured the area and Soundwave went to the door that led to the bridge with his squad along some Vex.

"Assume breaching positions!" He ordered while Ghost went to open the door.

The Vex went up front crouching while the imperials stood behind them with their weapons drawn. Ghost did short work on the lock and opened the door. They were greeted by the bullets from the operators and the marines who stood ready to receive them. The Goblins took the brunt of the attack but Soundwave was quick to unload his own munitions from his machine gun into the doorframe.

"Keep your heads down!" Reya yelled when a marine arrived with a SAW. One of the Elites was too slow and got holes in his chest before he fell down on the cold ground.

"Flash grenades now!" Soundwave ordered as he threw one of his own. The Grunts who carried the ammo and grenades did so.

Shouts came from the human side as they got disoriented by the excruciating sound and the harsh light. The imperials were quick to storm the bridge and shoot anything that moved. In a few seconds the remaining crew surrendered. They were cuffed and shoved into the corner on their knees. Soundwave walked up to the consoles and let out Ghost who accessed the controls of the MAC.

"Is the station secure?" Soundwave asked when he contacted the other teams.

"Security center secure."

"Armory secure."

"Both hangars secure."

"Some resistance at the common area but they will be eliminated soon."

"Look for any survivors and capture if possible, good work soldiers." Soundwave commanded and praised as he turned to Ghost.

"The last firewalls have been taken down. We can now use this station for our own purpose." The little light reported as the blue beam disappeared.

"Alright then, you're up Dwar." The emperor said as he inserted a chip into the main controls. The image of another Nazgûl AI appeared and with a nod the AI turned the cannon towards a human ship.

The MAC let loose when Dwar was ready with his calculations. The shot was a direct hit on a close frigate and ripped it in two. The frigate had a few explosions before its reactor detonated taking some fighters close to it down. The cannon then searched for new targets. Soundwave looked to the right of the windows and saw one of the other platforms go down in flames because of a successful bomber strike.

"The space battle is in our favor, I wonder what the admiral will do now." Soundwave remarked as he stood formally at the bridge as a true commander.

…..

"Sir, one of the orbital defense platforms has destroyed one of our ships!" An ensign reported from his post. The admiral slammed his fist on his chair.

"Dammit! They must have taken control of it. Which platform is it?" He demanded.

"Captain Robinson's sir." The same ensign answered. Allemand closed his eyes in pain at the loss of the captain.

"Sir we're losing this battle. We haven't been able to alert any other systems to our situation due to the enemy's jammers. If we leave we can return with reinforcements." Heinrich proposed with a grim look on his face.

"But then we'll abandon the planet!" Another officer argued.

"We won't do much good if we die here. Alert the other ships to jump to the nearest system. We'll come back but we'll have to do this." Allemand said with a deep sigh.

"Admiral you can't be serious." The officer pleaded.

"I am, unfortunately. They have all the cards and this battle is in their favor. Any chance we stood was because of the orbital defense platforms but with two destroyed and one in their hands already we'll lose this battle. They took us by surprise and their tactics of hit and run with those new bombers have disorganized and crippled us. Enter slipspace as soon as possible." Allemand ordered with a defeated look as he slumped into his seat.

"Yes sir." The officer relented.

The ships all gathered and the fighters broke off to go back into their ships. The imperials cheered as the human ships entered slipspace and retreated from Harvest. On the captured MAC station Soundwave grinned as his ships went on to secure orbit.

…..

"Get that ammo here now!" A corporal shouted from his spot behind some sand sacks.

The military base Raven Stand on Talitsa had been under assault for around ten minutes and already the UNSC soldiers stationed there were having many losses thanks to the unknown attackers. The marines had never seen the large armored beings before who kept on barraging them with explosives.

"Incoming!" A marine shouted before a blue projectile impacted on a guard tower utterly destroying it.

From some distance away Valus Tlu'urn watched in satisfaction as his artillery strike was a success.

"A direct hit as always." Valus Mau'ual remarked. The two shield brothers were standing on a hill overseeing the battle in the dessert from their command post. The command post was a deployable platform with everything needed to oversee a battle.

"The base will fall soon to the Legionaries. Are the land tanks on the ground?" Tlu'urn asked. While the shield brothers would take care of the major military bases, their Primus would capture the capital with the aid of the human rebels.

"Yes, Primus Ta'aun himself is besieging the capital with them as we speak." The close quarters specialist answered.

"Then we'll have it under our control soon. Ready to take this base together?" Tlu'urn questioned with a grin behind his helmet. His brother returned the grin and held his large maulers up for display.

"Always brother, always." He said before both joined the battle officially.

The marines at the gate desperately fired at the advancing Phalanxes. The large Cabal held their shields in front and marched on while returning fire. The Legionaries behind them fired at the enemy with both slug rifles and projection rifles. The marines kept on firing but soon found themselves falling back as the Cabal came closer.

When the Phalanxes reached the gate they opened up and turned slightly to side with their shields while the Legionaries stormed the base. On the other side of the base there were three Colossuses unleashing a hail of microrockets which served as ammo for the Cabal's weapons.

"They're breaking through!" A private yelled over the gunfire as both gates were breached.

To make things worse a bunch of Cabal soldiers jumped over the fences and walls using their booster jets. They were joined by the shield brothers who were thrilled as they felt excitement at entering a battle with a purpose.

Tlu'urn instantly started shelling the UNSC's position with his large cannon while being protected by a few Phalanxes. The incoming artillery strikes kept the enemy soldiers on their toes and on the move but that was only one of two reasons. The other was Mau'ual who kept on charging the marines with his maulers. It knocked the marines off their feet or broke them. He swung his arm batting a warthog right into a group of soldiers. A marine came up close to him and used his shotgun on the large Cabal. The shot barely made a dent in the heavy armor and soon the marine regretted his mistake as he was squashed by Mau'ual.

"Get that tank over here now you hear me!" The commander yelled as he aimed his DMR at a Legionary. It took quite some hits before the Cabal soldier went down.

From the garage a Scorpion rolled into the fray. Its cannon turned to a group of Legionaries and blew them away. A Centurion bravely used his projection rifle to barrage the enemy tank. The weapon did some damage but not as much as the Centurion would have liked. He most definitely did not like the machine gun that was aimed at him. The gun let loose and pounded him with a stream of bullets. The shield only held out shortly before failing and allowing its user to be filled with holes. His Legionaries roared and avenged their officer by killing the gunner in front of the tank.

A pair of Warthogs drove out of the garage in the meantime. One was armed with a gauss cannon and the other with a 50. cal. The gauss cannon was turned towards the Phalanxes and Centurions while the 50. cal was aimed at the hordes of Legionaries. The arrival from the more heavy support halted the Cabal advance and allowed the marines to regroup. Mau'ual was not a fan of this situation and ran towards the Warthogs.

The gunners saw the running Cabal but were slow on retaliating. With a quick boost from his booster jet he shoulder charged the nearest Warthog. The vehicle was thrown away right into the gauss cannon Warthog. Both were wrecked when they came to a stop. The marines who had been operating the Warthogs were dead and so were the unfortunate souls who had been in the way of the vehicles.

"Take that beast down for fuck's sake!" The commanding officer of the base yelled at the Scorpion driver.

The driver complied and aimed the cannon at Mau'ual. Seeing his brother in danger Tlu'urn flew up in the air and came back down on the top of the Scorpion tank with a powerful ground slam. The immense strength he had and the momentum along with his weight allowed him to budge the top of the tank. The barrel was broken and most of the armor had a large dent in it. Tlu'urn jumped away when the surrounding marines chose him as their main priority. With the support from their armored vehicles gone the marines were once again pushed back by the ruthless Cabal soldiers.

"Incoming!" A marine yelled in warning before another artillery strike blew some of them away.

"Get back, get back!" A sergeant yelled before being shot down by a Psion.

The Psions had been sneaking behind the enemy lines and now they made their presence clear. The human soldiers had nowhere to go as they were being fired upon from all sides. They hid inside craters or behind Cabal corpses for any sort of cover. The sound of the typical Cabal dropship was heard if one listened closely. Three Harvesters flew over the base and dropped some rockets on the vulnerable marines. One by one the defenders fell under the heavy fire of the Cabal until a single group remained. They watched in horror as their lives were ended by the maulers of Mau'ual. It was the last thing they ever saw. Like an angel he brought down imperial judgement. It was quite heavy, just like said angel.

…..

"Alright men, those aliens are going to break through that door. When they do I want you to throw practically everything at them, even if it were rocks. This station will not fall to the enemy!" A captain shouted to his men on the shipyard above Coral.

Earlier that day an unknown fleet had arrived in the system. Some imperial ships were part of the unknown fleet so it could be assumed they were imperials as well. The shipyard was well defended and normally they would have had a better chance against the enemy fleet. The problem was that whoever was in control of that imperial fleet was a naval genius.

The imperial ships had exploited any weakness the defenders had and one time they had even caused the UNSC to accidently shoot at its own. When a fighter squadron was called away to reinforce another position the imperials would then swarm that position with even more fighters coming out of nowhere. The UNSC was during the battle attacked from above as seemingly stealth ships had taken position there and bombarded them. At the end of the naval battle the human ships were wrecks while the imperials had suffered quite frankly not a lot of casualties as they should have in such a fight.

Now it was the station's defenders versus the boarders. The battle was obviously lost but if they were to go down they would do so fighting to the last man. Almost everyone had made their minds up and steeled their resolve. If they could take out as many as they could then it would mean a better chance for the forces on the ground. Now they waited for the enemy to show their faces. The boarding hatch hissed as the air was released from within. The marines tightened their grips on their weapons and took a deep breath. Slowly the door moved. The anticipation was nerve-breaking but then it came.

From the boarders their side some bright orange fireballs flew away to the marines' side. On impact the fireballs exploded into a fiery mess. Some of the marines disintegrated and some suffered from heavy burns. They all opened fire on the enemy with every weapon they had. Through the rain of fire numerous drones came. They had some sort of rotors on the sides and a barrel on the underside. The marines adjusted their aim to follow the drones but that seemed to be a mistake. From the hatch came now the Eliksni as they poured out of the doorframe. They all simultaneously threw shock grenades at the defenders but nevertheless they too suffered casualties at the hands of the marines. The Captains quickly closed the distance with their enemies and either drew their swords or their shrapnel rifle.

The Dregs and the Shanks started taking on the enemies who got separated with large numbers. The Scorch Captains then came in aiming at the most fortified positions. A private stood up from his cover to shoot them but the bullets were absorbed by the shields the Captains used. A large purple energy ball came his direction and exploded in his face. The closest marine fell victim as well to a purple blast which came from a pair of Servitors that had arrived. They gave the surrounding Eliksni a void shield for extra protection.

The fight eventually drove the defenders back further into the station. The Eliksni split up in groups and pursued the enemy. In the meantime some Vandals took up formation at the hatch and proudly presented their weapons in a salute as a baron entered the wrecked room. He halted a few steps in front of a corpse of a Captain and looked around noticing the humans had suffered twice the casualties. Satisfied he turned towards the highest ranking Captain.

"Baron Raklar, our boarding party has successfully captured this area. What are your further orders?" The Captain asked.

"Clear a path for our Servitors to the control stations so we will gain control of this shipyard. Check every spot for an enemy twice and keep your guard up. For the honor of the House of Stars and the empire!" He spoke to the Captain and then the rest of the troops who all cheered in response.

"You three, set a perimeter here. You six with me." The baron ordered the Eliksni soldiers before walking away. The chosen Vandals stayed close with their shock rifles ready.

The small groups walked through a door that led to the mess hall. Upon arrival they were ambushed by a squad of marines which opened fire. The Eliksni used their superior agility to evade and find cover. One of the Vandals got hit in the leg but his armor protected him. Raklar quickly pulled out his arc cannon and pulled the trigger killing a pair of marines behind a table.

The Vandals took down their targets with precision hits. A marine managed to dodge a bolt though and placed a bullet straight into one of the imperials killing him. The corpse of the four armed being slumped against the cover. With a growl the baron took the soldier down who had killed one of his own. The baron's skill in combat was too great for the newly recruited marines who had nothing compared to Raklar's combat experience.

"Fall back to the armory!" The sergeant yelled as he retreated with what remained of his group. At the same time reinforcements entered the mess hall for the imperial side.

"We are here to back you up and hold this position sir." An Elite said as his own squad arrived.

"Good, make sure the enemy doesn't recapture this place. Aside from food it's also a way to the boarding hatch. Do you know the situation of the other groups?" Raklar said while hoisting his cannon on his shoulder and wiping some dust off his coat.

"We're encountering the most resistance at the armory. They got machine guns positioned there along with some of their shock troopers, the ODSTs as the humans call them." The Elite major replied.

"What are these 'ODSTS' you speak of?" Raklar inquired. His Vandals were joined by another Eliksni unit to aid them.

"If I remember correctly they're the ones who drop from their ships in drop pods behind enemy lines. They're better than the normal soldiers and also have better armor including shields." The Sangheili replied.

"I heard they have the nickname Helljumpers." An Unggoy added from his position.

"Interesting, I will go to this armory and take them out. I expect reinforcements when I'm done." The baron said as he turned around with his white coat swirling as he did so.

The path towards the armory was full with corpses of invaders and defenders alike. The other races of the empire had put up some deployable cover along with stationary guns to keep the position safe. Raklar picked up one of the human weapons and examined it. The gun was unlike anything he had seen before. As the weapons expert among the barons of the House of Stars he was very keen on examining any new weapon he could find. It seemed to be just like a shock pistol only different. Aside from its structure which was because of the culture of the maker there was also the ammunition. The humans used projectiles instead of plasma technology. It was rather simple but he did not dismiss the thought of it being inferior. No, he knew it could be lethal and useful in a combat situation. The kind of ammo was large and so was the ammo clip. Raklar put his new toy away behind his cloak and continued on.

When he arrived at the path to the armory he found an intense stalemate between the imperial forces and the humans. On one side you had the defenders hidden behind any sort of cover. Be it made beforehand or makeshift. On the opposing side there were the imperials trying to advance but failed to do so. The two machine guns from the marines was a pain in the ass as well. Raklar looked indifferently at the challenge. It wasn't the most difficult thing but then again he had spent more training and fighting than the soldiers here.

He reorganized the imperials to fire at his command. He did so when some of the marines stopped to reload. First the shielded soldiers revealed themselves and then the unshielded ones. They all started firing at their targets that all hid again behind cover. Raklar gave a second order and together with some others he threw explosives at the marines. The rain of grenades shredded the marine ranks viciously.

Shouts echoed over the gunfire as bodies were thrown in the air or against a wall. The ground where the grenades had detonated was scarred and burned. An ungodly stench of burning flesh filled the sterilized air of the shipyard. Raklar saw one of the Dregs throw up and shook his head. He had gotten long used to the sight and stench that would haunt your dreams.

"Forward!" He shouted while hoisting his cannon into the air.

The entire horde of imperial soldiers ran to the now broken defense of the UNSC. Raklar himself led the charge while blasting away any human that could stand and fight. He pulled out a shock dagger in one of his lower hands and stabbed any opponent who got close to him. He heard the cry of a fellow Eliksni and snapped his head to the source. A Captain had been shot right in the head by an armored human. The man's armor was different than the marines he had encountered. It took little to recognize the warrior as one of the ODSTs Raklar heard about. With a feral grin he gave another war cry and charged the ODST.

The ODST dodged the swipe of Raklar's shock dagger with only mere inches. The shock trooper spun around and saw the same dagger flying towards him. The man pulled his head away and yet the dagger scraped against the visor. If it was any closer the glass would have been broken. The dagger eventually landed in the wall but by then the two warriors were fighting again. Raklar brought up his cannon and shot the position the ODST had been standing a second earlier. He kept on firing but the ODST was very fast. An Eliksni still had an edge over the human race when it came to nimbleness though.

The ODST came close and unsheathed his knife to slash the tall baron. With fantastic grace Raklar evaded every strike and countered by swinging his cannon. The ODST ducked and brought his knife upwards and hit the alien armor. It didn't do anything but add a scar to the baron's armor, his beloved armor. Raklar stomped very hard with all his strength and forced the human away. The cannon was now on his back and in his hand another dagger. The two stared at each other even with the fighting around them. No one interfered as the two charged each other. Raklar parried every strike but so did the elite human soldier. They had reached a stalemate as they continued to struggle for any advantage. Raklar locked with the human and stared defiantly into the scratched visor.

Then he used his strength to bring both his and the ODST's weapon into the air. The lower arms of the baron shot out and grabbed the ODST's arms. Then he stabbed the dagger into man's shoulder between the armor. Raklar heard the cry of his opponent and with all of his strength he ripped off the helmet revealing a man with a hateful gaze. The two locked eyes and Raklar leveled the pistol he picked up with the man's head. The ODST gave one last glance and closed his eyes in defeat. Raklar pulled the trigger blowing a hole in the man's head. The fallen ODST fell back and hit the ground. In a last sign of respect Raklar placed the helmet and knife in the man's hands. After that he returned to the fight.

The carnage continued on until they had breached the armory and surrounded the last marines who were all huddled into the corner.

Raklar held up a clenched fist and the shooting halted from their side. The marines did so as well to see what was going to happen.

"Lay down your weapons and you will not be harmed. By imperial military protocol you will be treated as prisoners of war if you surrender. You will have shelter and food as long as you do not resist. What is your response?" He told the last marines. Upon further inspection his cannon almost fell out of his grip. The remaining soldiers were barely adults! Some of their armor or helmets were even not properly in place. A young man, no, boy stood up bravely but looked at him with fearful eyes. The kid had to be scared by the large amount of aliens with weapons aimed at him.

"Do you promise?" He asked timidly. Raklar realized there must have been not a single officer left.

"I promise, just lay down your weapons and come out slowly." Raklar said with a friendly tone. One by one the terrified marines walked up to him with their hands in the air.

"What will you do with us now?" A marine asked.

"These soldiers will escort you to the transports. Just don't do anything rash and comply." He answered while gesturing to the imperial soldiers with weapons in a more relaxed manner. The marine nodded and left as they were all escorted out.

"We've secured almost every part of the station. Any further orders?" A Captain reported.

"Patrol the whole place at least two times. If I find any surprise I'll personally rant your ass off." Raklar ordered sternly. The Captain just nodded and left.

Raklar turned towards the armory and began examining the weapons while the Dregs removed the corpses.

…..

"Is the station captured?" Nilkryks, Kell of the House of Stars, asked as she stood at the bridge of the Dreadnaught-class Ketch. The Ketch was unlike the normal frigate-class Ketches, this one was as big as a UNSC carrier only full with cannons and other weapons meant to destroy everything in its path.

Aside from the frigate-class Ketches in the Eliksni fleet there were the destroyers and carriers. The carrier-class Ketch was like the normal type only flat on top and numerous hangars on the behemoth. The destroyer was simply an enlarged version of the normal Ketch but with more weapons including void cannons which were able to fire from a long range.

"It will be within less than fifteen minutes according to baron Raklar my Kell." A Dreg answered from her post.

"Get me a connection to Kykak then." Nilkryks ordered as she clasped her hands together behind her back. Within the minute the Kell of the House of Blood appeared as a hologram.

"Nilkryks, I assume you're calling me to inform me of the successful capture." The red cloaked Kell said with a grin.

"Clearing the last resistance that's left. I assume you're on schedule?" The female Kell answered as she returned the grin. Both Houses had a rivalry with the other. Nothing serious like other Houses but more of a friendly competition.

"Meh, those humans do know how to be a challenge. Right now we're dealing with an entire battalion that keeps us away from the capital. Once that obstacle is gone we'll steamroll over the rest of their defenses. But as it is now we're at a stalemate. The enemy isn't giving any ground and their tanks are much more mobile than our walkers." Kykak stated with a more serious expression.

"Perhaps a good aerial strike will thin out their numbers." Nilkryks proposed. The Kell on the ground groaned in frustration.

"I've thought about it but the problem is that the humans have some anti air vehicles on a hill. Unless they're gone we will suffer too many casualties. I was going to send in the stealth groups but it would take quite some time. How about orbital bombardment?" The Kell answered. Nilkryks looked out of the viewport at the wreckage of the human ships that had been stationed in the system.

"I believe I can spare the ships. The prime Servitor intercepted any transmission the humans could have sent and no enemy ships left the system. As long as you give me good coordinates I can give you aid." The female Kell replied with a nod. Kykak visibly relaxed at the news.

"Good, I'll send them as soon as possible." He said before ending the call. Nilkryks turned towards the comm officer on the bridge.

"Have four of our frigates assume position for orbital bombardment. Exact targets will be given in time." She ordered. The Eliksni operative saluted and went back to his console.

Deciding that she would no longer be needed for now, the Kell of the naval House left the bridge and went to her personal quarters for some well-deserved rest. She would need it for when they received new orders.

…..

"Move up!" Soundwave ordered from his Panzer tank. The imperial version of the Scorpion was going to be used in breaking through a fortified human position and attack the capital after that.

Soundwave made another note of the situation before leaving.

They had been forced to land at the nearest area without any AA-guns. According to his intel the place was called Fodass Hillside. The hills at the human side were full with gun emplacements, tanks and trenches. Soundwave had sent out a probe droid and found out the enemy had a Wolverine emplacement. He would go in with his powerful units and blow those pesky AA vehicles away with heavy firepower. When that was done he would call in air support and decimate the enemy lines. A simple plan actually, but the execution would be less easy. There were a lot of UEG army soldiers between him and those Wolverines.

Normally Soundwave would find a way to take them down without a full scale assault but the situation called for him to speed things up. Unloading the troops had gone without issue luckily. Behind him was full battalion of armor, a whole platoon of infantry and with them were his new toys. Not to mention the support he could call in after destroying the enemy AA vehicles. After his quick but deciding attack with the tanks the main force would advance.

The enemy had set up a series of bunkers full with machine guns to rip his infantry apart. This could obviously not do. When they went in the enemy anti infantry positions would be a secondary objective. Aside from those bunkers there were some mortars he wanted gone as well. He was certain they would go through the enemy but at what losses? Losing many in this was not an option for Soundwave.

His Panzers would go in first with the Wraiths following the main battle tanks. There would be some infantry supporting them but it would mainly be the armor doing the difficult work. Soundwave closed the hatch and sat down in the command chair. He would be acting as the commander of the 9th armored battalion. The tanks started their engines on his command.

The hovering tanks left the camp as they headed towards the enemy. The heavy vehicles drove over the hills with decent speed and on full alert. Eventually they came to a forest perched on some smaller hills. Soundwave scanned the forest for any sign of the enemy's presence and was about to dismiss the thought until he spotted the barrel of a concealed cannon. The one of a gauss Warthog.

"Attention all units, enemy ambush up ahead! Light the eastern side of the forest up!" He ordered and send the enemy position to the tank's targeting computer. Immediately the tanks spread out and the infantry on them jumped off and took position behind the tanks.

"Enemy in sight sir." The Elite manning the cannon said.

"Then fire!" Soundwave yelled.

The Panzer's cannon roared as the plasma projectile left the barrel of the turret. The shot soared through the air straight into the forest. Trees fell over and dust was seen everywhere as it impacted. The other Panzers opened fire as well as multiple plasma projectiles impacted. A larger explosion than normal told them one was a kill. Both plasma turrets in front and above the tank fired at the forest mowing down anything in their path.

The Panzers slowly progressed while firing their cannons and turrets at the bushes and trees. By now the humans returned fire as they used cannons, tanks and MGs. Both sides exchanged fire fiercely and held on. The human army had camouflage and were mostly concealed but the imperials had tough armor allowing them to take the hits. Soundwave noticed this and went on the comms to organize the attack.

"All Wraiths in the back, use the sent coordinates and shell them with plasma mortar immediately." Soundwave ordered while spotting targets for the artillery.

"Affirmative sir." The officer in the back replied while giving the Wraith drivers their orders.

The human soldiers watched in fear at the barrage of blue plasma that suddenly came down on them. The mortar strikes were effective as trees were destroyed but so were the human equipment beneath them. The humans retaliated with everything they had but the barrage was too much. Sometimes the explosions were even greater because of munitions being hit by the plasma shells. Soon the commander issued a retreat for the ambush force. They ran away abandoning everything that was useless. The imperials noticed this and now the infantry spread out while shooting at targets as well. When the majority of the human forces had retreated Soundwave commanded his troops to hold their fire.

By now half of the forest had been ravaged. Craters and corpses dotted the area. The imperial infantry went in and checked for any survivors. A few were found but when the imperials saw them it was bad. Some were missing body parts while others were completely shell-shocked. The imperials quickly gathered the prisoners and guided them away. Soundwave told some troops to bring the prisoners to the camp and treat them. After that he turned his attention to the place behind the forest.

The trenches were full with anti-armor guns, MGs, infantry and some tanks as well. Soundwave analyzed the next step. The enemy was on a hill, he would have to climb up that hill. The enemy could also flank from the western side. The AA Wolverines were stationed further to the north-west.

"We go in a diamond formation. Have our Wraiths barrage the enemy trenches while the Panzers move up to the north-west." Soundwave commanded his officers.

The tanks moved forward again and out of the forest. In an instant they were shot at by the UEG army with some marines in their ranks. The Panzers adjusted their aim and gave suppressing fire as they drove up the hill. The Wraiths fired again with the enemy's fortified positions as their target. The plasma rain proved to be less effective due to the trenches but if it made the soldiers keep their heads down it was a partial success.

As they went up another ambush came from the west just like Soundwave predicted. From over the hill a horde of Warthogs came. They differed from the standard MG, gauss cannons and even rocket Warthogs.

"Right flank, aim at those Warthogs now! Do not allow them to hit our Wraiths!" Soundwave ordered as the Wraiths in the back would stand less of a chance to the fast vehicles.

The Panzers on the right turned their cannons towards the approaching horde and in a single command they fired. Plasma shells streaked towards the incoming Warthogs and either created craters or turned an enemy vehicle into a fireball. The Warthogs returned fire as bullets and rockets flew at the armored battalion. The bullets of the 50. cal did little damage to the heavy armor of the tanks but the heavier ornament did damage the Panzers. Some of the tanks' armor became dented and scorch marks dotted the heavy plates. As the Warthogs accelerated they got in range for the plasma turrets. Bolts of plasma left the Panzer group and impacted against the ground or Warthogs.

With the Warthogs close enough they turned somewhat to the left and drove past the Panzer towards the Wraiths who were shelling the humans their position. From the initial wave only a fourth remained as they drove at high speeds. The crew manning the Wraith tanks stopped firing at the trenches and aimed at the incoming Warthogs. The accompanying infantry that had been left with the Wraiths also took aim at the jeeps. A fight between the two groups broke out but due to the stopped barrage the UEG army could now properly retaliate.

From the trenches a swarm of rockets was launched with the Panzers as target. Seeing the threat Soundwave called for evasive maneuvers but the tanks were slow in doing so. Only few could evade the rockets as the rest slammed into the Panzers' front. Some of the tanks exploded in a blue fireball. But alas it was too late. By now the Panzers had reached the UEG army position. The fuel rod launchers on the sides of the turret that the Panzer tank sported launched the radioactive explosive ballistic projectiles straight at the enemy in their trenches. The projectiles exploded and the green fire coursed through the trenches that the humans had dug. Many were burned alive in a hellish green fire while plasma bullets turned them into lifeless corpses. The onslaught that the tanks delivered was immense.

Soundwave's Panzer made its way through a small blockade of rubble and sandbags. Through the turret visor he spotted a few marines running at the tank with some C4 in their hands. With a pull he turned the turret in their direction and opened fire. The marines dove for cover but most were filled with scorching plasma. They sort of danced while being hit before falling to the ground with no life in their eyes anymore. The main cannon turned to the left and blew up an entrenched Scorpion that had been smoking from all the damage it had sustained.

Suddenly alarms wailed as the tank's radar picked up incoming air units. Two Hornets flew over the battlefield and fired their missiles at the armored units. Two of the advancing Panzers were turned into campfires as they exploded brightly. The turrets on top of the Panzers chose the Hornets as their new primary target and unleashed torrents of plasma. The Hornets dodged some of the plasma but they stood no chance against so many turrets firing at them. One of the Hornets managed to retreat as the other one went down. It crashed right on top of an unfortunate marine.

Soundwave ordered a few tanks to follow him towards the AA Wolverines while the rest of the battalion dealt with the remaining hostiles. Out of precaution he send the Panzers in the back of their formation down the hill towards the Wraiths.

"Alright everyone, on my mark." Soundwave said on the comms as they aimed at the Wolverines that got in sight. "Fire!" He yelled.

The plasma shells were direct hits on their targets. The less armored trucks stood no chance against the power of the Panzer. Explosions could be seen and heard on the hill as Wolverine after Wolverine blew up in a spectacular fireball.

With the threat of being shot down lessened, the aerial forces made their attack runs. Banshees, Phantoms and Spirits flew over the battlefield. The remaining parts of the UEG army defending Fodass Hillside were beaten up by the incoming air attacks. Soundwave stepped out of his Panzer and oversaw the battle from his vantage point. He quickly activated his communicator and accessed every channel.

"Send a squadron of Banshees to the left flank. Have the infantry in the middle dig in while two groups of Ghost make a pincer attack to draw the enemy out. Panzer squad three, move back and let squad six take your position. Artillery, fire at the marked area. Phantoms, provide additional support for the ground forces, make strafing runs as you go." He ordered as he went from one channel to the other.

Soundwave watched in satisfaction as his army did as told and carried out orders flawlessly. It took less time to push the humans back than he had thought. The sound of a Phantom took his attention when one landed near him. Reya walked out of it along with Rudo. Both came to a halt in front of him and saluted.

"The enemy is fleeing and all that remains is the capital. How goes the battles on the other fronts on this planet?" Soundwave asked.

"Resistance across the planet was reduced by our Dusk bombers in the initial assault. Most of the UEG army here has been defeated by our troops." Reya answered.

"If we assault the capital and successfully capture it then most of the remaining forces will give up." Rudo said as he glared at the small form of Harvest's capital in the distance.

"If a human is one thing, it is tenacious. They do not give up so easily because of hope. We need to make sure they lose hope." Soundwave stated as a plan already formulated in his head.

"I'm getting the feeling you got a plan to do so." Reya remarked dryly to which Soundwave grinned behind his helmet.

"All we need to do is show them that any resistance is utterly futile." He told her.

He then turned around and headed towards the waiting Phantom with his companions. The capital of Harvest would fall and he would be one step closer to fulfilling his plans. As night fell over this part of the planet a silence came. The silent night would bring death to the human side.

…..

Samantha Collins, also known as black ten woke up with a major headache. She opened her eyes only to get some blurry sight. After sobering up a little she saw she was sitting in the cockpit of her crashed fighter. She remembered being in an aerial battle against the invading imperials. Her fighter got shot down by a Seraph and later she crashed close to the airbase.

With some effort she got out of her restraints and tried to open the hatch. At first it wouldn't even budge but after some minutes it finally opened up revealing the night sky. She glanced up at the starry sky and the first thought that came to her was not how pretty all those stars were. No, it was that there were imperial warships in orbit.

She grabbed her magnum pistol and climbed out of her seat. She looked around to find out where exactly she had crashed and was relieved to know she didn't have to go far to reach the airbase. All she had to cross was a little hill.

So Samantha began running away, towards her destination and hopefully a friendly face. She crossed a small river and hiked around boulders while thinking about her squadron. Were they shot down as well? Were they alive? Was she the only one left? All these thoughts popped up in her head but she defiantly tried to push them away. She couldn't think about that now. Her main concern was to reach the airbase.

After fifteen minutes she reached the forest which was placed just beside the base. She smiled as she could see lights and started running. She only ran for thirty seconds before stopping. Her smile disappeared as if it never existed.

Imperials were patrolling through the forest. Some Grunts were setting up a comm post while other species of the empire guarded them.

Samantha couldn't believe it. How long had she been unconscious? She steeled her resolve and slowly sneaked past the patrolling soldiers and headed further into the forest.

On her way she had to hide when a group of Ghosts drove by. One of the Elites driving the vehicle stopped and looked around. Behind a tree Samantha held her breath and tightened her grip on the pistol in her hand. Fear coursed through her veins like ice. For a moment she thought she would die on the spot but relief washed over her when the Elite left.

Samantha wasted no time and continued on. By now she had made some good distance and arrived at the airbase. Once again despair gripped her heart as she saw the base being controlled by the imperials.

Samantha heard someone behind her and turned around to come face to face with a Jackal. The imperial had been patrolling the perimeter on his own and smelled something close to his position. Upon arrival he found a human dressed as a pilot and sneaked up on the unsuspecting human. He had readied his needler but that alerted the female.

Now the two were face to face. One behind the trigger and the other in front of the barrel. The Jackal aimed and Samantha closed her eyes as she froze in fear.

Just before the Jackal could do anything his body jerked and his eyes rolled back into his head. Samantha opened her eyes just as the Jackal fell on the ground. Her eyes trailed from the corpse to her savior. Joy filled her entire being as she laid her eyes on her fellow pilots Eric and Jenkins.

"Eric! Jenkins!" She exclaimed as she jumped and hugged them.

"Glad to see you too Samantha. We thought you died out there." Eric said with a laugh while putting his knife away.

"Almost, were is the rest?" Samantha asked. The mood instantly became less joyful.

"All that's left is us, black three, black leader and surviving marines from the nearest base." Jenkins said with pain in his voice. Samantha felt the same pain. From her whole squadron she had only four friends left.

"We were looking for a way to get inside the base but found none. Just as we decided to get back to the camp we saw you and that Jackal." Eric explained while Jenkins picked up the needler of the dead imperial.

"Well we have to hurry before another patrol comes by." Jenkins said as he dragged the body away and hid it in a bush.

"Alright then, let's go." Samantha said as she took one last glance at the captured base.

Where human aircraft once stood, now only imperial craft occupied the landing pads and hangars. The pilots knew this was not the only thing occupied on Harvest as they walked back to the camp.

…..

Fleet admiral Hood calmly sipped his coffee. So far it had been a peaceful day. No huge amount of paperwork to do nor any problems. All he needed now was the sound of chirping birds and he would take a quick nap to enjoy the peaceful silence.

Yet he felt something was wrong. As if something had happened and caused disastrous results. He could not shake off the sense of dread that filled his mind. He was aboard the UNSC _Infinity_ heading towards Reach to meet some other military leaders.

His mind then went to thinking about the Galactic Empire. From gathered intel he could deduce they had been expanding their military power. A Prowler had picked up a communication from Archeologis to a covenant turned imperial colony. It had some details about transporting supplies and troops which had concerned Hood. If the imperials were mobilizing then they would strike soon. Humanity had prepared itself if the empire would just like its predictor glass the human worlds.

Hood felt frustration at the thought. Why had the leaders of the UEG recklessly declared war upon the empire? People forgot that it was being led by a Forerunner. Technology much more advanced than theirs would be used to wage war on them. Aside from covenant military there were the Prometheans. Those defensive AI were incredibly dangerous in battle. The second battle of Requiem was a good example. Then there were also the mysterious Vex which they knew little about aside from possible info.

Hood continued to think about those things until a knock echoed through his room. He looked up from his desk and watched the door.

"Enter." He said loudly and saw captain Lasky enter.

Hood immediately knew something was wrong. He could see it in the man's eyes. They were full with anger, despair and resolve.

"What is it son?" He asked the captain of the UNSC's flagship.

"Sir, admiral Allemand just send a message to high command who send it to us." Lasky began and took a deep breath before looking the old fleet admiral in the eyes.

"The empire has attacked Harvest and forced the fleet to flee." He continued and let the words sink in.

Fleet admiral Terrence Hood lowered his gaze and whispered a few words that showed the pain he felt.

"May God have mercy on our souls."

…..

 **Next part coming up but I want to let you know that the reason why the empire is winning so far is because I wanted to show that they are different from the Covenant. They have new tech, tactics, resources and species to fight. The UNSC isn't weak or anything but they will have to adapt if they want to properly fight back.**

 **Anyways see you next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok so someone asked if there was going to be a guardian. Now we have Halo guardians and Destiny guardians so I'll answer for both. Halo: probably since Cortana will make an appearance. Destiny: Soundwave is so far the only guardian but more guardians will come to the Halo universe.**

…..

The meeting room of the _Infinity_ was packed with officers. The whole room was so full that some had to stand instead of sit. Along with the officers there were also the Spartan fireteam leaders including John-117. He blocked out the chatter of the people around him and thought about the reason why everyone was gathered. He had his suspicions and now he would get answers.

Hood arrived and took the stage along with Lasky. The room grew silent and awaited the fleet admiral's words. Inhaling a deep breath he began.

"You're all wondering why you're here. Some might suspect why I assembled all of you." He began and had a grim look plastered on his wrinkled face. Now Lasky stepped forward.

"Approximately ten hours ago the defensive fleet of Harvest was attacked and forced to retreat. We've also confirmed that we lost contact with some other colonies." The captain of the flagship said with a strained voice as pain filled his entire being.

"War has begun, the empire has come." Hood announced grimly.

That same pain that Lasky felt was filling the gathered attendants now. Harvest was the first planet to fall to the Covenant. Now that the planet was livable again it became once more the first target. Shouts of outrage filled the room now. People were angry, they were cursing and yelling for revenge. Master Chief simply stood there. He did not move or say anything because of his training but even his blood was boiling.

"Silence!" Hood roared. Everyone grew silent and looked at him. The admiral's eyes went over all of them and lingered a second longer when they met the Chief's.

"We will not sit idly. We will travel to Harvest and retake what is ours." Lasky said trying to calm everyone down.

"But sir, how do we know the empire hasn't glassed Harvest?" An officer asked as murmurs of agreement went through the crowd.

"Unfortunately we'll have to assume they've already glassed it. No one wants to believe it but let's not forget the empire was made out of the Covenant." Hood clarified.

A heavy silence fell upon the room. Not a single mind wanted to think about the lives lost if the empire would begin cleansing the planet. John and others had seen it happen too much. Yet they steeled their resolves and looked at the fleet admiral who was waiting for that.

"We're almost at Reach. Once we arrive we will be joined by some ships of the fifth fleet under command of admiral Harper's protégé vice admiral Connor. We will go to Harvest and engage the enemy. According to admiral Allemand we should outnumber them but they might receive reinforcements." Hood explained while activating a holographic screen showing images of the battle that occurred between the empire and Harvest's fleet.

"It appears the imperials have a new toy. Some kind of bomber which is a flying fortress with turrets, bombs, cannons and missiles. Speaking about missiles they have new types of them that, according to admiral Allemand, have the capabilities of severely crippling ships." Lasky said as videos of the new weapons were shown. Some were a bit clearer than others but the bombers were still recognizable.

"Sir, do we know who is in charge of the enemy assault?" Chief asked respectfully. Hood's gaze met his.

"The one who attacked Harvest is no one else but the emperor himself." The fleet admiral replied.

Now everyone widened their eyes in shock. John simply stood there, not moving a single muscle. Needless to say the room's occupants knew the importance of this information. The enemy leader himself was on the battlefield and vulnerable. Lasky typed something on his datapad revealing the picture of the Exo.

"You all know he's the leader of our enemy so I don't have to explain how important this counterattack is. If we cut off the head of the snake now the war will be shorter than we expected it to be. He is our main target." Hood instructed.

Someone in the back of the room raised his hand. It was a marine captain who had just graduated from the academy.

"Yes son?" Hood acknowledged.

"Sir, do we already have a battle plan?" The young man asked.

"No, ONI has informed me they're waiting for one of their prowlers to finish reconnaissance. After their mission is done they'll send us intel about the enemy and we'll finish the plan." Hood answered. The young man gave a nod and sat back down.

"We'll send you all info on our enemy as soon as we can. Until then we want you to prepare your subordinates. This is no game people. We won the human-covenant war but now this we have a new war on our hands. Do not underestimate the enemy, dismissed." Lasky said as he took over while Hood retreated to the back of the room.

The gathered UNSC personnel left the room chatting with each other about the upcoming retaliation. The Chief did not leave. He kept standing on the same spot and waited for the last officer to leave. When the door shut he walked up the two navy leaders who had been waiting for him. He stopped in front of the two and stood somewhat straighter.

"Master Chief, I take it you have a question or two?" The fleet admiral asked. The Chief nodded at his superior.

"I wanted to know if my team and I will be the ones to go after the emperor." John said.

"Some sort of vendetta against him Chief?" Lasky semi-jokingly questioned with a raised eyebrow. The Chief stood straighter if that was even possible.

"I simply think blue team is the most qualified to go after the Exo sir." John said with determination. Hood narrowed his eyes at the Chief. He knew that the Chief had another reason than that but dropped the issue.

"You'll have your way Chief, as soon as we make the plan you'll hear of me." Hood assured the legendary Spartan.

"Thank you sir." Chief said respectfully with a nod as he made to leave.

"Chief." Hood called out.

The Chief stopped in his steps and looked over his shoulder at his superior. The look that Hood gave the super soldier made John ponder on how much the old fleet admiral could see through him. The two stared at each other for seconds but it seemed like hours.

"Don't get consumed by your drive to beat him Spartan. It might have disastrous consequences." Hood finally said.

"Understood sir." Chief replied respectfully before marching out of the room leaving the two officers alone.

Chief kept going through the hallways of the ship with blue team's quarters as his destination. He passed the crew who had just received the news of the imperial attack but he did not care about what they said. He had only one thing on his mind. The Exo. John felt responsible for him. He had failed two times in eliminating this threat to humanity. it was his duty to do it, to kill the Exo. He passed a few Spartans IVs who were bragging about how they would easily take the emperor out. The Chief would have stopped and reprimanded them but he had things to do.

Finally he arrived at blue team's quarters. He opened the door revealing his team doing their day to day activities. Kelly was on the datapad assimilating information on a certain subject. Linda was once again cleaning her sniper rifle, Nornfang. Fred however was conversing with Codes. The Spartan had always been the most social one of their group. The three Spartan IIs immediately turned towards the door to see their leader walk in.

Kelly sat up from her bunk and addressed him.

"So what was the meeting about Chief?" She asked curiously.

"We got news of the empire." He said gaining their full attention.

"Did they attack us?" Fred asked with a serious frown. The Chief nodded and frowned as well.

"Where?" Linda asked as she grabbed her rifle.

"Harvest." He said making them curse silently. To choose that planet as a first target angered the Spartan IIs.

"When are we deployed?" Kelly questioned.

"Soon, when we arrive at Reach we will be joined by some ships of the fleet there. We will receive the plan and our orders later but I have been assured we'll get a shot at the emperor himself." John said with a monotone voice.

"The Exo is there?" Fred asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Affirmative, he is leading the attack." Codes said as he was just informed of the facts by Roland.

"Then we'll be ready." Linda promised.

"I'm going to reserve the Warzone room to practice." Chief said as he went of the room.

"Don't you think he's a bit… obsessed?" Fred remarked slowly.

"He feels responsible, that's why he wants to do this." Kelly agreed as she sat back down again.

"I trust the Chief to do the right thing." Linda said putting Nornfang down carefully on the table.

"Never said I didn't. I will always follow him no matter what but I'm concerned about him. I haven't seen him like this in a long time. It's as if he feels this is all his fault and I think that will have a toll him." Fred said with a concerned tone and a slight frown.

"We'll see what the future brings." Kelly said before turning on her datapad to continue reading.

…..

Gunther Anderson groaned as he woke up in his comfy prison. The young private sighed as he got up and began doing some stretches. Sometimes his thoughts drifted off to the day that he and his squad were captured by the then Covenant, the day of the first battle of Archeologis. Now it was an imperial prison on the new capital planet of the Galactic Empire. He had to admit that so far they had been treated well. There was food, a bed, a recreation area and every day fresh air. He and his squad had no problems with the wardens who were made out of the mixed species of the empire along with some Prometheans. Just looking at the Brutes and Prometheans made one think of something else than escaping.

He grunted as he felt a joint pop back into place. His cell was shared by his sergeant along with private Kabul and private Vos. The sergeant and Kabul were also up but Vos, the sleepyhead she was, remained in her bed. With a sigh Gunther took it upon himself to deal with her.

"Wake up sunshine, it's time to get up." He said shaking her a bit.

"Five more minutes mom." She muttered half asleep. Kabul chuckled while Kowalski shook his head. With a smirk Gunther messed with her.

"Young lady if you don't get up now you're grounded!" He reprimanded with a lady-like voice. Kabul couldn't hold his laughter and even the grumpy sergeant had a slight smirk on his aged face.

"What?" Vos asked as she got up while rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning." Gunther said playfully.

"Ah shut up kid." Vos grumbled as she climbed out of her bed.

"If you two are done we can go get breakfast." Kowalski said gruffly.

"You will be pleased to know we have some human cuisine to serve." A high voice squeaked from the doorway.

The four looked up to see one of the guards. The guard was a Grunt with the armor of a Major and a plasma pistol as a weapon. Having the new technological enhancement the Unggoy population grew a pair and were now a lot more confident.

"Ah so you're letting old Holt into the kitchen again?" Vos quipped to which the Grunt snorted.

"How you humans get worked up about food is similar to us Unggoy. Anyway I'm here for sergeant Kowalski. We're having new arrivals and the head warden wants you to fill them in on how things go around here." The Grunt guard said. The four prisoners were surprised.

"New arrivals?" Kabul inquired.

"They are prisoners of war taken from the recent battles. We're getting people from some of your outer colonies. They surrendered when they were given the chance." The Grunt elaborated. Sadness welled up in the prisoners as they heard that. While they were happy that some survived they knew many had died in the new war.

"So how many?" Kabul further questioned but his response was a shrug of uncertainty.

"All I know is that they will occupy the fourth block." The guard said before leaving.

The four captives got ready and left their cell. The cellblock was close to the mess hall so they didn't have to walk a lot. Prisoners were allowed to freely roam the cellblocks and other areas that were not restricted. Due to this there were still many guards who discouraged any type of revolt. When they arrived at the mess hall they were greeted by Maxim, Sergei and Johansen. The heavy weapons users and the medic resided in another cellblock but they were okay with it.

"Hey sarge, there is someone you should meet." Sergei said in his usual accent. From behind the broad man a woman stepped up. She was clearly from the navy if her posture was any indication.

"Sergeant Kowalski, I am captain Margarethe Kurtz. I was stationed on Coral but captured in a boarding party and after that send to this facility. I arrived with other survivors from the battle and heard you're somewhat in charge of the men here." The captain said formally. Kowalski nodded respectfully at her.

"That's right ma'am. I've been keeping everyone calm and the head warden usually comes to me when there's a problem. We have a sense of mutual respect." The sergeant told her to which she frowned.

"Do not become friendly with the enemy sergeant. We might be prisoners but we will not let this imperial scum push us around." She said sternly. Anderson and Vos looked at each other and silently agreed they did not like her.

"I assure you captain, I am not friends or anything with them. I'm simply making sure no one dies. We've been here since the first battle of Archeologis so we have the most experience here." Kowalski replied sternly.

"Regardless of that I am a superior officer sergeant. When I give orders I expect you all to follow them." Kurtz said and walked away with some lackeys.

Kowalski frowned but let the issue drop. For now he had to make sure no new arrival would get strangled by a Brute.

The small assembled group entered the mess hall and were greeted by familiar faces but also with new ones. True to the Grunt's words there was human cuisine. It appeared to be bacon with eggs and was quite welcome to the prisoners. They all missed home so a normal breakfast gave them comfort.

"Sergeant Kowalski!" Someone yelled. The old soldier groaned in frustration. He just wanted to get his breakfast and take another nap. He turned around to see two Promethean Soldiers along with three Brutes. The tallest one was the head warden and he seemed to be not amused.

"Head warden Cossus, what can I do for you?" Kowalski said trying to be respectful. The last thing he wanted to do was piss the giant Jiralhanae off.

"Sergeant, I take it you have been informed of the new arrivals?" Cossus asked gazing at the prisoners.

"Yes I have, I hope there haven't been any issues?" Kowalski said neutrally.

"Only one situation. I hope you will inform the rest that if they behave there will be no problems." Cossus said with a frown. Clearly the head warden didn't like it when imperial authority was challenged. For him the emperor was a god king so when someone spit on his sympathy Cossus would love to beat that person.

"I will do my best." Kowalski assured him.

"Of course, have a nice day then." Cossus said rather civilized. Luckily the enhancements also meant that the Jiralhanae were less inclined to give in to anger and violence.

With that the tall head warden left with a silent sergeant to rejoin his squad. Prison life would be nasty if the new arrivals misbehaved. Kindness was something the emperor had given to them but the threat of punishment was still ready to be carried out by the large Brutes.

…..

On the planet Harvest the governor looked at the ships hovering over the capital. The city hall was being overrun by imperial forces and he just sat there in his chair. He would not run when the enemy came for him. He would resist and defy the imperials. He frowned as he heard gunshots out of the room. His guards raised their weapons at the door of the underground safe room and switched off the safety.

For a moment nothing happened until the door met an explosion from the outside and flew into the room. The guards opened fire without delay. Gunshots filled the doorframe for as long as the magazines were full. The gunfire died out when nothing passed through.

Suddenly someone flew through the door and grabbed the closest guard. The attacker threw the helpless man at his fellow comrade and together they fell on the floor. The other guards opened fire but the assailant picked up the door and used it as a shield while running at them. The armored man kicked the door on a guard while using the downed guard's weapon to knock another one out.

While this was going on a few Elites ran into the room and subdued the human guards. Governor Carlson stared at the invading imperials indifferently. He recognized the armored man who had easily beaten his guards.

"The emperor of the Galactic Empire." He stated as he gazed at the exo.

"Governor Carlson, tell your remaining troops to stand down." Soundwave immediately ordered.

"Why should I? You want me to tell the citizens of Harvest to bow down to an alien?" The man bit back fiercely now. For all of his calm and collected composure he felt anger.

"Your mind has been clouded by anger. Do not mistake courage with defiance. Cease your resistance and I'll allow your citizens to remain in their homes unharmed. You will also remain in command of the governmental facilities but you'll answer to me. If you do not see reason then how about a threat? Tell the defenders to stand down or be glassed!" Soundwave yelled at the governor while raising his shotgun.

The governor looked down in defeat. His parents had been from Harvest and now Carlson couldn't bear another glassing of the planet that he grew up on in his childhood. He stood up and activated his datapad. The device connected him with all comms used by the military and civilians.

"Attention defenders of Harvest. Cease fighting at once. We have been beaten and face the choice to either die and have our planet glassed or remain alive. I am sorry but I have chosen to let you all live in the hope that we'll be free soon. Harvest is now under imperial control." Carlson admitted with pain in his voice as he faced the facts.

When the governor was done most soldiers stopped fighting and surrendered to the imperial forces that swarmed them. Weapons and equipment were confiscated and soldiers were put into prison camps. Every military outpost and base was taken over by the empire. Motor pools were established and airbases were full with aircraft.

Civilians watched as imperial soldiers patrolled the streets. They were frightened and remained inside their homes as the aliens went by. Some refused to be calm and challenged the imperials only to be put down. By Soundwave's orders no one was harmed but they were still sent to the prison camps for a certain amount of time.

True to his words the current government was allowed to keep running things but they were watched by the empire. Any form of rebellion would be put down. Thanks to his new connections to the insurgents, Soundwave made sure that collaborators were used and soon officials were put in charge who actually worked for the insurgents and the empire.

The situation on the other planets that had been attacked was no better. Talitsa was a good example. The Cabal had crushed any resistance with their oversized feet and now the planet was under insurgency control since most of its population were rebels. With very good propaganda and promises the insurgents were swayed into teaming up with the Galactic Empire.

Coral's shipyard was now under imperial control and guarded by Ketches from the Eliksni. The entire population of Coral were fearing the four-armed race and didn't dare raise a hand after assassinating every leader and threat.

If there were planets that still had some resistance on them it were Mamore and Verent. Both planets were under imperial control but the imperial troops had difficulty with the occasional rebellion wherein their supplies would be raided. Soundwave understood the threat the rebellions posed and had additional troops dispatched to the occupied planets. It did not help that those fleets had sustained many casualties. Numbers were something he had to solve quickly.

Now he waited for the UNSC to come. He knew that Harvest would be the main target of the counterattack but he was prepared. He had his troops in place, plans made, traps ready and reinforcements to come at his call. The other leaders would continue the attacks but he was needed there on Harvest to fight the UNSC. Days passed by and one thing was certain.

They would fight a battle above Harvest unlike the first one.

…..

"Hurry up Eric." Jenkins groaned as they both climbed up the rock that would serve as a vantage point.

"Yeah I'm coming." Eric replied.

Both pilots were tasked with overlooking the raid on an incoming imperial convoy full with prisoners. Said captives were all part of the 21st infantry platoon which had been stationed on the planet but had been defeated by the Panzer groups. The plan was simple, kill the imps and free the soldiers. Yet with limited support it would not be as easy now.

The trap was already in motion. Explosives were placed on the forest road and when the vehicles came to a stop they would ambush the enemy from all sides. Eric and Jenkins would spot the enemy convoy and give the signal to detonate the explosives. Eric had some marksman training and could use the battered sniper rifle he had been given. Jenkins would use the binoculars to spot hostiles for him.

"Alright people, it's show time." Jenkins said as he saw the approaching imperials.

In front of the convoy were two Ghosts and there were also two in the back. Five of the newly modelled Shadow transports were between them. The transports had been remodeled and were now broader and could carry twenty soldiers along with better armor and a ramp in the back. The three transports in the middle were full with the army soldiers while the other two were filled with imperials.

Slowly Jenkins prepared himself. The convoy made its way through the forest at a decent speed. He gulped as he felt a bit nervous. He waited until the right moment to strike. When the transport were at the explosives he did it. With a push on the detonation button he let all of the bombs go off.

With splendid fireworks the convoy came to a halt. The soldiers manning the Ghosts in front were thrown of their vehicles from the shock. The five Shadows stopped along with the remaining Ghosts. The ones carrying the imperial troops opened their ramps allowing the soldiers to exit and spread out.

"Elite Minor to the right behind the first transport." Jenkins reported as he spotted the target.

"Got him." Eric said as he shot the Elite. The alien's shields flared and went off before the second shot hit him in the head. The body slumped to the ground and his weapon clattered on the soil.

More of the imperials began to look around for enemies when suddenly the humans came out of nowhere. Grenades and bullets flew through the air and devastated the surprised imperials. Two marines came out of the bushes and fired upon some Grunts with salvaged SMGs. The hot lead slammed into the smaller creatures and spilled their blood. One of the Grunts fought back by hurling a plasma grenade. The grenade landed on top of one of the marines. The man quickly dove away to save his friend before dying in the explosion.

A pair of Jackals flanked the human ambush. The two Jackals raised their shields and weapons and took aim at the marines that hid behind a fallen tree. Plasma bolts hit the wood scorching it and almost hitting the marines. One of them carried a grenade launcher and aimed at the Jackals. However in doing so he made himself vulnerable and was shot in the chest by one of the Jackals. His friend quickly grabbed the weapon and fired. The two aliens who were flanking were quickly put out of commission as the grenade flung their beaten bodies in the air.

The Elite Ultra in charge released a war cry and sprinted off into the forest straight at a squad. He unclipped his energy sword and activated it. The hiss of the plasma coming to life made the marine squad feel fear as the warrior came at them. They focused on him but by then the Ultra was in their midst and slashed at anything. Limbs were severed and bodies fell on the ground. Just when he was about to decapitate the last remaining marine his shields failed under the pressure of a shotgun blast. The Ultra gave a final roar before being shot down by another sniper.

Eric kept on supporting his comrades as the ambush made progress. The gunners on the Shadow transports were already dead since they were primary targets to any marksman. The remaining Ghosts had come however and drove through the human lines with plasma guns blazing. One of the UEG army soldiers who carried a rocket launcher carefully took aim at the Ghosts. He let the rocket go and grinned as it slammed into one of the vehicles. The smoldering remains crashed into a tree. The Elite driving the other one had a nasty surprise, a marine was firing his SAW at the Sangheili. He tried to run but was shot and slumped in his seat with holes in the chest.

The battle kept raging on as the two sides exchanged fire. However the imperials were losing the battle. They eventually lost and when the final Jackal was shot down from its sniping perch the humans seized fire.

"Check the area." The CO ordered.

The marines searched their surroundings for any other imperials but found none. It wasn't long until they went to the Shadow transports carrying the UEG troopers. Two marines went to the ramp and managed to open it. Some soldiers came out with confused looks as they took in their surroundings. They expected a prison camp but came face to face with dead imperials and some allies.

"Well this is better than the prison camp." One of the freed prisoners muttered.

"Alright everyone listen up. We're survivors from the nearby marine and airbase. We've organized a small resistance and our camp is further into the woods. Those who are wounded will be carried and those who aren't can carry weapons and our dead comrades. Hurry up because I don't want to be here when the empire finds our trail." The CO commanded.

By the time that Eric and Jenkins got down to the scene there were already people leaving towards the camp. The dead were carefully brought away and anything salvageable was taken along. The CO spotted them and called the two over.

"Outstanding work you two. For pilots you boys sure can battle on the ground. Get back and get some rest along with some food. You've earned it." The man praised with a grin.

"Thanks sir." Eric said as they saluted. They both walked past the CO and left.

"Oh and I believe there's a Ghost at the big oak waiting for you two as well." The CO told them over his shoulder with the same grin plastered on his voice.

The two pilots grinned as well and hurried off towards the vehicle.

…..

"Another convoy ambushed!?" Soundwave groaned with exasperation from his seat behind his desk aboard the _Imperial Armageddon_.

The Elite Minor in front of him looked nervous as he lowered his head.

"My deepest apologies your grace." The relatively young Sangheili said. Soundwave waved away the apology.

"You need not apologize warrior. You cannot be blamed for this, only the humans putting up a resistance can be blamed. It is a shame that not all of them can stand down peacefully." Soundwave remarked. The Sangheili seemed more confident and nodded.

"Of course your grace, I will go see if our scouts have found their position yet." The Elite told his leader with a fire in his eyes.

"Thank you for that. You can go then and good luck." Soundwave said as he nodded.

The Elite made one last bow before leaving the room. Soundwave slumped in his chair. He felt frustrated with the third ambush in four days. At least most of the population knew to be not aggressive towards the imperials less they wanted to be punished. The human leaders he installed in the government of Harvest gave them all the illusion that they were still free in a way. But the truth was that he now controlled the planet.

A beeping sound came from his desk and he instantly knew it was the comm. With a push on the button a hologram appeared of fleet commander Primus Ta'aun.

"Primus Ta'aun, what can I do for you?" Soundwave said while intertwining his metal fingers. The figure of the large Cabal leader gave a slight bow before speaking.

"My lord, the insurgents on Talitsa have fully settled and now rule the planet. Any civilians who did not agree to the new regime has been sent to the nearest human colony as you ordered." Ta'aun reported.

"Good work, now that you've done that task you can attack your next target. A planet called Arcadia. I will sent you the coordinates along with any intel I have. From now on it doesn't matter if the humans find out about the Eliksni or the Cabal. Just make sure you do it fast." Soundwave informed the Primus who nodded.

"Very well my lord. I'll see to it as soon as possible." Ta'aun said before shutting the comm off.

Soundwave was glad that at least that report had been good news. With the spare time at his hands and the absence of Ghost who was helping Reya and Rudo he began creating various scenarios about an incoming human attack. He was certain he would deal with the _Infinity_ and blue team which meant disastrous consequences for him and his army. As he catalogued another response he was abruptly taken out of his thoughts when his comm beeped again. He pressed the answer button again and this time it was the young Sangheili from just a while ago.

"Your grace, I am informing you that we found the resistance camp in the woods close to the taken airbase and marine base not that far from the capital. The Viper probe droid managed to gather intel on defenses." The Minor reported with a smile.

"Good work, dispatch an assault group from the base to deal with the rebels. If possible they are to be captured." Soundwave instructed.

"It will be done your grace." The Minor said before disappearing.

Down on the surface the imperials mounted up and left for the rebel camp.

…..

"So I see the gunner shooting at some of our marines and kill him by placing a bullet in the head." Eric finished his story with a grin while drawing a card. He was sitting in an abandoned bunker which was now used as camp. The series of bunkers had somehow survived the glassing of the planet years ago. At the moment Eric was playing a card game along with Jenkins, Samantha and black three otherwise known as Carolina.

"Yeah, yeah you're the big here Eric now play your cards right for once." Carolina said while smoking a cigar.

"Oh come on Carolina you're just made you didn't got to join us in the ambush." Jenkins said with a smile to which she huffed.

"I'll have you know that I would have easily taken out those gunners as well." Carolina said with a slight pout.

"Sure you would, after drinking a stash of beer." Samantha shot back.

"Oh come on! I only drank a few bottles at that party." Carolina complained. She was met by the incredulous looks of her squad mates.

"It was Tom's birthday party." Eric stated plainly. The party of their squadron's leader was one to never forget when black three got drunk.

"It wasn't that bad." Carolina said slowly.

"You threw up in his Broadsword." Jenkins added.

"I rest my case." Carolina said with a shrug.

"Where's he anyways?" Samantha asked while winning the game.

"He's talking to the camp's CO. Colonel Stark likes to hold meetings." Carolina said as she reluctantly admitted defeat. She smelled a cheater.

"Well I think-" Eric tried to say something but was cut off as the earth shook beneath them.

The cards on the shoddy table were scattered all over it and the floor because of the miniature earthquake. Eric fell out of his chair and banged his head against the counter. He let out a string of curses and got back up.

"Dammit what the hell was that?!" Jenkins questioned in surprise.

At that time a marine ran inside the bunker with a shocked expression on his face. Carolina went to him and asked him the famous question.

"What's happening?" She asked quickly. The marine, a corporal, blinked a few times before responding.

"T-t-the empire is here." He said quietly no doubt in shock. Carolina inspected his armor and saw that the left side of his chest plate was a bit scorched. It was still warm and no doubt there because of plasma.

"We need to go help the others." Samantha said as she grabbed her assault rifle.

"Got it." Jenkins said with a nod and grabbed both his battle rifle and the sniper rifle that he then handed to Eric.

"Let's move it." Carolina added while loading her shotgun.

The four pilots ran up the stone stairs of the bunker and came out in the open to see a plasma round hit a gunner's position. The machine gun went down along with its user in extreme heat. Just looking around gave a good view of what was going on. The empire had sent a force to eradicate them if the plasma shelling them was any indication.

"Incoming!" An army ranger yelled as three smaller plasma mortar rounds struck the side of the bunker.

"We need to move up!" Carolina yelled as she waved her squad forward.

The small band of pilots ran forward into a trench they had dug a few days ago and ran up to an observation post. When they arrived the watchtower was smoking and a fire raged on around it. The scarred and burned remains of a few soldiers were still in it and on their way to become ash.

Eric looked at the forward lines with his scope. He could clearly see the Grunts, Jackals, Elites and some Brutes advancing on their position. What he didn't recognize were the three strange vehicles with them. They had four legs and the upper part of the body had some sort of mortars and the lower part had plasma machine guns. The walkers easily walked over the uneven terrain using their legs. The Shadow transports had to remain behind because of this terrain.

"We've got troops running up to the right and those vehicles are coming up through the middle." Eric told his friends.

"There are rocket launchers over there." Jenkins remarked as he pointed at a larger trench some distance in front of them.

"We'll get those rocket launchers, Eric you'll cover us." Carolina ordered as she was the higher rank at the moment.

"I'll have your backs." Eric replied with a nod.

The three ran over the small barricade while Eric placed his bipod. On their way they already got in a fight with a squad of imperials. The marines who were fighting them were being pushed back until a grenade landed on top of a Grunt's head. The confused alien looked at the spherical object before squeaking in alarm. The imperials dove away but a Grunt and Jackal were caught up in the blast. Carolina hid behind a tree and waited for an Elite to come forward. She suddenly stepped in front of the Elite and unloaded a shotgun shell in his chest. The shields failed and with an additional shot he was dead before doing anything else than growl.

With their leader dead the imperials halted their advance and settled themselves. The marines were now also reinforced by some army rangers equipped with grenade launchers. The rain of explosives was too much for the imperials to bear. When their ranks broke they retreated back to their allies. The humans cheered and ran up to the forward trench where the rocket launchers were located. The human soldiers reloaded and readied themselves to halt the next enemy attack.

"I want a rocket launcher there and there!" Carolina yelled as she pointed at the locations with her middle and index fingers. A few marines grabbed the weapons and stood at their post. Just in time as the empire arrived at their position.

The Landstalkers made the ground shake as their metal feet carried the vehicles forward. The plasma guns on them began rotating before unleashing hails of plasma bolts upon their foes. Some soldiers were immediately struck down. The Landstalker in the middle fired its mortars and let six plasma rounds fly through the air. Four impacted against the ground around the trench and did little damage beside throwing dirt over the humans. The other two rounds unfortunately came down inside the trench. Some unfortunate souls fell victim to the deadly plasma.

The imperial assault was relentless but the human defenders held out. The rocket launchers were put to use as two rockets flew towards the Landstalker in the middle of their formation. The rockets impacted against the vehicle stopping it in its tracks. The humans expected the walker to burst up in flames but when the first rocket made contact some sort of shield shimmered before shattering. When the second rocket hit it, it was only partially damaged.

"Don't just stand there! Shoot it again!" A sergeant yelled to a ranger who nodded and fired his own rocket. This time the head of the vehicle bursted into flames before it slumped to the ground.

With the loss of their brethren the imperials released war cries and charged the enemy with even more vigor and ferocity. The remaining walkers simultaneously used their plasma mortars. The twelve plasma rounds came down and caused the ground to shudder. The army rangers and marines released cries of pain or were instantly turned to ash. The rockets being fired were now lessened due to the loss of the soldiers using them. The attacking infantry also fired upon the entrenched humans with courage but their enemies were too defended.

Eric had spent three ammo clips by now and needed more if it was going to keep up like this. He grabbed another one and inserted it into his rifle and out of the corner of his eyes he saw something peculiar. Five Shadow transports had gathered at the left flank where only a few marines were stationed. The transports were somewhat bulkier than the normal type and this confused Eric. But then again the imperials had a lot of surprises.

The sides of the transport opened up revealing racks full with white-colored machines. The racks moved so the machines were now above the ground and then they released the cargo. The machines vibrated and then unfolded. They stood up revealing themselves as some sort of robots. Eric watched in fascination at the robots that had not seen before until now.

The humans might not have known but these were some of Soundwave's most favorite new toys. It was for the simple fact that these robots were from his former world. They were known as Frames to guardians. Back on Archeologis he had been shown a whole hangar full with the things and now they were ready for battle. From each rack came six rows of five Frames in each.

The Frames all simultaneously reached for their backs and grabbed their weapons. The rifles were the same design as the common weaponry given to the standard Frame and new guardian. The first three lines were full with Frames equipped with either the Marshal-type auto rifle, Trax Callum-type scout rifle or the Psi Umbra-type pulse rifle. The following two lines consisted out of Calcutta-type sniper rifles and Preacher-type shotguns. In the final line the Frames were equipped with the Baron-type rocket launcher and the Sargon-type machine gun. Every 99-40 series Frame readied its weapon as the rectangular 'eye' of the Frame began glowing red meaning they entered combat mode.

Together as one the three hundred Frames walked forward. The marines weren't shocked anymore and began firing upon the hordes of Frames. The robots responded in kind as their own weapons were used. While the weaponry was the same in looks the ammunition it used was different. The weapons shot a red-colored mix of both arc and solar energy. The weapons were practically shooting lasers now.

The marines quickly found out that the massive amount of Frames was too much to bear alone. It helped that due to the lack of proper intelligence the Frames simply marched towards the human lines with only some using proper tactics. Because of mass production of the Frames they were not as smart as a Promethean.

A marine used his DMR to headshot a Frame that walked towards him with an auto rifle spitting out ruby laser bolts. The shot pierced the Frame's head and eliminated the mechanical threat. However as the Frame fell forward into the mud there were two other Frames that took its place. The DMR was used again and hit one of them in chest but failed to do serious damage. The other Frame scored with its scout rifle as a laser bolt hit the man's throat.

At another location two UEG army rangers equipped with assault rifles stormed a group of Frames that weren't focused on them. The bullets tore into their metal bodies as the Frames turned to spot the threat. One of the Frames equipped with a machine gun opened fire. The weapon shot red bolts of energy at a fast rate and killed the rangers with ease.

A group of Frames opened up in the middle allowing another one to step forward carrying a rocket launcher. The droid crouched and carefully took aim at a fortified position. It pulled the trigger and soon the rocket flew straight into the human defenders. Body parts were thrown in the air and a crater was left behind smoking.

But unfortunately for the Frames some of them walked straight into a minefield. The explosives were triggered as the droids stepped on the trigger mechanism and blew them up. Instead of body parts there were pieces of alloy and metal dotting the landscape along with lots of craters.

The small defensive line was quickly overwhelmed by the massive amount of Frames that marched on not caring if they die in the process. They truly were the new cannon fodder of the empire.

"We're being overrun! They passed our line and are headed towards the command center! We need- agh!" Someone yelled in the comms before being put down by the Frames.

"That's where Tom and colonel Stark are!" Jenkins remarked while plasma soared over him.

"But we're not in any state to go help." Samantha retorted although she was concerned for their squadron's leader.

"Only one of those walkers is left and the imperials have dug in. A few people won't be missed." Jenkins proposed.

"We don't have much choice anyway. Those robots will flank us and then it's over." Eric added.

"Fine, we'll go help while the other soldiers stay here." Carolina relented as the four of them sprinted inside of the bunker.

The bunker's hallway was dimly lit and the explosions shook the very foundation of the building. This did not stop the four brave pilots who ran as fast as they could through the hall. Just before they passed a corner there was an UEG army ranger who fell backwards while being shot in the chest. The pilots halted to see two Frames walk over the corpse. They spotted the group and raised their auto rifles only to receive bullets in each of their chassis as response. The square eyes lost their light and the machines stumbled to the ground.

"What the hell are those things even?" Jenkins wondered while poking one of the Frames.

"Don't know but what I do know is that the imperials have upgraded their arsenal and made some additions." Carolina said as she heard more gunfire.

"Well let's go save black leader, again." Eric said with conviction but one thing was clear.

This was their last stand and it was only a matter of time before they would be beaten.

…..

"The _Infinity_ will not participate in the recapture of Harvest." Hood said with a grimace as he sat in his office aboard the HIGHCOM station in orbit around Reach along with Lasky, Palmer, Roland and blue team. Those who were gathered had a disbelieving look plastered on their face.

"But the Exo is there so we should strike with our full power." Palmer argued.

"ONI says they intercepted a transmission that the emperor went to Mamore. Apparently Jul 'Mdama is there as well. Besides the security committee agreed that we should not attack with our flagship due to any surprises the Exo has in store for us." Hood said as he took a sip from the whisky he taken from beneath his desk in a secret compartment.

"But what about Harvest?" Lasky asked with a frown.

"It will only be the _Infinity_ along with a part of the assault fleet that was intended to go to Harvest that will join you. There are other ships that will go to Harvest and try to retake the planet." Hood explained while rubbing his temples.

"With all due respect sir, how do we know that the Exo is on Mamore? It could be another trick." The Chief said.

"I understand what you mean Chief but there is no other choice. Aside from the agreement the UEG government also wanted us to listen to ONI." The fleet admiral answered while frowning at the fact that the government meddled with a military decision.

"So will blue team be deployed on Harvest or Mamore sir?" Kelly asked curiously.

"Mamore along with other Spartans. Other Fireteams will be sent to Harvest along with Osiris to liberate the planet." Hood said while looking at Palmer and Lasky who both frowned immediately. This did not go unnoticed by the Spartans.

"Is that a problem sir?" Fred questioned. The three officers conversed silently and with a nod from the fleet admiral the commander explained.

"We suspect that the leader of the fireteam, Jameson Locke, is an ONI operative. Somewhat obvious but the thing is that he's poking around and listening. ONI always wanted in on the Spartan IV program and he's like a spy for them. We've been trying to catch him but so far he's living up to ONI's standards by evading us." Palmer explained with an irritated expression.

"Anyway I want you all to prepare for the upcoming fight. I will remain here at Reach while you liberate what's left of our worlds." Hood said and drank the whole glass of whisky in one go.

"Think about your health sir." Roland playfully remarked as he tried to lift the spirits.

"I'm old but I have a good liver Roland." Hood retorted with a grumble. Lasky and Palmer actually smirked at that but the IIs, as they were socially inept except for Fred and Kelly who were better in that department, did not show any indication they found the lecture funny.

"I'll get going then, there are still forms I need to deal with." Lasky said as he stood up.

"I will help you with that." Palmer told the captain since she remembered she had to do some papers as well. Hood shoved the rest of the bottle towards them.

"Take it, you'll need it." He said with a grin. The two officers grinned back and took the bottle of whisky with them.

"We'll get going as well sir. We need to report to the Warzone room for some practice against Vex enemies." Chief said with a nod before he left. Blue team said goodbye as well and then left leaving the old fleet admiral to take a nap to calm his nerves.

…..

Reya walked through the halls of the _Imperial Armageddon_ on her way to the conference room in deep thought. The successful elimination of the resistance close to the capital of Harvest had been the first test of the Frames and now they were to be used properly. Squads would aid in patrolling and perform work that the Grunts had to do in the days of the Covenant. Aside from that they would also be the shields taking the first waves of enemy fire for the imperials. The survivors of the battle were now prisoners and sent to the main prison back on Archeologis.

What really got her attention though was the incident last night in which Soundwave had apparently flashbacks of his life as a guardian. He had regained a large part of his memories and was suffering from headaches making it impossible for him to do his work properly. Rudo took over and directed the military operations in his absence while he rested. According to Ghost the exo should be better by now. Reya glanced at the two Precursors behind her with their pikes and guns ready to protect her. Soundwave had insisted on it since she was now one of his second-in-commands.

She reached the conference room and opened it up to see that the highest ranking officers were present. At the end of the long table sat Soundwave and to his right Rudo. Some Sangheili sat at the table along with a few Jiralhanae and even a Kig-Yar or an Unggoy. She wasted no time in walking to the end of the table and sit down at Soundwave's left. Soundwave nodded to her before turning his attention to the rest.

"As you all know the other fleets are busy with attacking other worlds while we have remained here. The reason why is because the probability of a major attack is the highest here. We have been reinforced and have set up defenses to repel such an attack. I planned on staying here but due to important matters I will be absent for some time." Soundwave began as he looked at each shipmaster, chieftain and other type of officer. He was glad and proud to see that they all focused on him as he spoke.

"During my absence general Rudo will be in command while I'm away. You will heed his every order as if it is mine. Know that Harvest is a planet that will remain in our hands. It is imperative that we will not let the humans retake it. I have also heard that there have been some… abuse at the hands of our troops toward the population. I made it clear that such a thing is to be prevented. Every single one of you will relay this message to your troops. I will not only hold the soldiers responsible but you as well. We have an alliance with some of the humans and whether you like it or not you will obey. Am I clear?" He said sternly and looked everyone in the eye.

Some were clearly not happy with it but if their god-king demanded it they would obey. They all nodded and promised to do something about it. Soundwave stood up and paced around the table slowly.

"I am asking a lot of you, I know. However you must understand that we need to let the past stay behind us. Old grudges from the time that you were part of the Covenant cannot interfere with the goals and policies of the Galactic Empire. Our journey is to show the galaxy that we are a proud and civilized society. We will wash away any sins that the Covenant made and by becoming beings of peace and prosperity we will spit on the prophets their graves. Know that if we can do this I will be even more proud of you than I am now. As your emperor I see you as my children and I will be there for you in dire times. Now go in peace my faithful followers and deliver my message." Soundwave said with a kind tone and passion that passed on to the officers. They all bowed and left the room.

"For someone who doesn't like speeches you know how to give them." Ghost remarked as he showed himself.

"We need to make sure the population doesn't rebel." Soundwave said as he sat back in his seat.

"That might be too late sir." Er-Murazor said as he appeared through the holoprojector on the table.

"What do you mean?" Rudo asked.

"I just received a message from the city of Abreburg. There are protestors who are becoming violent and demand the mayor to step down. The local authorities are trying to calm them down but to no avail. The local military overseer is requesting instructions to deal with them." The AI informed them.

"If we go in with weapons blazing it will spark more rebellion." Reya remarked.

"Indeed, tell them to use non-lethal weapons. Use the riot Frames to quell this uprising. They need to utilize riot control tactics." Soundwave ordered.

"As you wish." The AI said with a bow as if kneeling to an overlord before vanishing.

"Now if you'll excuse me I need to get to my transport. Good luck with holding the planet general." Soundwave said as he placed his hand on the general's shoulder.

"I'll make you proud sir." Rudo vowed to which Soundwave smiled.

"I know you will Rudo. Let's go Reya." He said and left with Reya in tow who quickly gave her own goodbye to her uncle.

…..

"Gone with that puppet!" A protester yelled while holding up a sign that said 'Gone with the traitor!' while marching forward with her fellow rioters.

The march had been going on for quite some time now. Because the mayor declared that the imperials were not harming them and only to keep peace the fools of the city became angry. No one admitted that the imperials had been kind though. So now there were at least a hundred persons marching and sometimes destroying property in anger. The citizens that remained calm were hiding in their homes as they feared they would get hurt. The imperial soldiers gathered at important places such as banks and governmental buildings. The march was towards the city hall where a few imperials including field marshal Mruta 'Tramae who was watching the approaching horde of humans.

"They're almost here field marshal, should we deploy the Frames?" A Sangheili Ultra asked. 'Tramae watched the angry horde of humans a bit longer and thought about how foolish the humans must be if they start a riot when they could be easily shot down. They should be on their knees thanking his emperor for using non-lethal methods.

"Do it." He ordered with a low growl. The Ultra nodded and spoke something in his comm.

The Shadow transports in front of the city hall began deploying their contents as the racks full with Frames came out of the vehicle. Just like in the assault on the resistance the Frames unfolded themselves but unlike last time they were now equipped with a shock baton and a riot shield. The Frames took a position on the broad street and held their shields in front of them.

The protestors came to a halt when they saw the blockade of shields. There were four rows of riot Frames and they all stood ready to repel any attack. One of the Frames stepped forward and had red markings on it.

"Attention citizens, you are violating the law and damaging property of the government of Harvest. Disperse immediately and return to your homes or you will be arrested." The Frame spoke in a mechanical voice that showed no emotion.

The crowd made no noise for a second or two before erupting in shouts of anger at being blocked. Now 'Tramae was sure the humans were mad to oppose a military power that invaded their planet. Courageous but foolish nonetheless. The Frame officer made no sign that it cared about the response and only stepped back into the formation.

The humans then marched on until they were only a meter or two away of the riot Frames. Some began bashing on the shields in the hope of knocking the Frame away but the robots stayed strong. A few rioters threw rocks at the Frames who in response raised their shields. One human then threw a Molotov cocktail at the Frames which set one of the riot Frames alight. It retreated to put the fire out but now the Frames took action.

They pushed forward and forced the people back. The loud clanking noise of their metal feet installed fear in the humans as they marched as one. Some foolish rioters kicked on the shields to stop the Frames but at that moment the robot stepped aside and another grabbed the human. This happened to a few and when the humans were dragged inside the formation they were restrained.

Then suddenly a man brought up a makeshift flamethrower that he used to stop the Frames. The flames would have been useful against living enemies but it was less effective against the Frames. They simply raised their shields and charged the man. The human was pushed against the ground and at the same time all of the Frames began running forward with batons swinging at all sides. The rioters now knew it was useless and ran for their lives back to their homes.

'Tramae nodded in satisfaction at efficient response and left so he could make a report of the successful elimination of the threat. With a last glance he saw the Frames march further into the city to install order and fear to prevent rebellion.

…..

Soundwave looked at the planet in front of him from the cruiser's bridge. The planet in front of him was one big mess of water. The planet was composed of a molten core with a rocky mantle and silicate rock crust. Climatic change had long ago submerged the planet's continents, drowning the planet under a global ocean that covered almost all of the surface, with a few islands left that were once mountain tops. These mountain-tips, though, were rained on almost incessantly. Luckily it did not rain always but alas a storm was usual on the planet in front of him.

"The shuttle is ready for departure." Ghost announced. Soundwave nodded and left the bridge with his second-in-command and his guards.

"If I may ask, where are we exactly?" Reya asked curiously as to why they had come an unknown system.

Soundwave smirked and said "Officially we're nowhere." Which confused Reya. Ghost rolled his one eye and explained.

"What he means is that there are no records of this system in any database. With this 'Ark' destroyed the whole galaxy-wide Forerunner system wiped a lot of information. The only way to find this particular planet is when you have a Forerunner helping you." Ghost said while slightly glaring at the childish personality of the exo.

"And that's not all. This planet has facilities that I activated after the peace talks with Sanghelios." Soundwave added with a smirk.

"I assume it has to do with the war?" Reya further questioned expecting another surprise that Soundwave had planned.

"Oh you know me so well by now." Soundwave replied with a full grin now.

They continued to walk towards the hangar and upon arrival they entered the Phantom that had been waiting for them. It left the hangar of the cruiser and sped down to the planet. It was a bumpy flight due to the storm that raged on but eventually they landed at their destination. The doors opened up revealing rain that kept on falling in large amounts. What baffled the imperials though was the Forerunner structure that looked somewhat like Sunaion. There were broad disk-shaped buildings resting on the platforms that supported them. At the end of the platform was a door that opened up as they walked towards it.

When they stepped inside they were met by the usual Forerunner architecture. The four Sangheili guards that were part of the royal guard stared in reverence at the symbols in the walls. Everyone turned to the right when they heard humming. It was at that moment that a monitor appeared along with two Sangheilis. Reya and the other Sangheilis recognized the two as Vokan 'Mdazam and Temi 'Korum. Both were some of the best fighters the Storm Covenant had to offer before it changed in the empire and the two warriors disappeared. Reya had always been inspired by Temi who was a female warrior just like her.

"Unhallowed Object-10, Vokan 'Mdazam and Temi 'Korum. It is good to see you all again." Soundwave began. The two Elites bowed before Soundwave and greeted him while Object simply said hello. Unlike the other monitors Object was the silent type.

"My lord we are ready for your inspection, please follow us." Vokan proposed as he gestured for the company to follow. Soundwave nodded and did so with his guards in tow.

The trio led the company through the Forerunner hallways as they passed various sealed rooms. They would sometimes encounter a Sentinel or a Promethean but aside from that they had yet to see any other living soul. Everyone aside from Ghost and Soundwave were wondering what the place was and why missing warriors were there.

"I am pleased to tell you that the training has been coming alone quite nicely. They are very disciplined and although not Sangheili they have easily adopted our ways. The first batch had some problems as we wrote in the report but overall improvements have been made." Temi spoke up as they strolled through the hallway.

"Good, I take it the donor hasn't been giving you any issues?" Soundwave said with curious tone. Vokan shook his head as he thought of the man.

"He has behaved so far. We never allow him to leave his room and he is constantly guarded." The male Sangheili replied.

"What about production rate?" The emperor further questioned.

"We already have two battalions, a legion, a bunch of commandos and a shock division ready and within one month around an additional five units will be ready. After that we'll have smoother production and have a lot more ready for action. The factory has been making vehicles and weapons at nonstop so they will be armed. It will take time before we can create a larger amount of them." Object answered in a monotone voice.

Reya grew more puzzled about what they were talking. Donor? Training? Production? Armies? All these questions roamed through her head and began agitating her. Soundwave loved to tease her sometimes and knew she had only that much patience. She swore she had seen that smug grin of him not that long ago. One thing was for sure and that's that she would get some answers.

"Sir, could you please explain what is going on?" Reya asked sternly yet politely. Others would have glared at her for her rudeness against the emperor but he only smirked in amusement.

"Just tell her already." Ghost grumbled.

"Fine but it would be better to show you." Soundwave relented as they just came to a large door. He nodded towards the monitor who opened the door for them.

As they stepped inside the newcomers were shocked to see what lied behind the metal door. No one expected it to be a mess hall full with people. They looked around and saw they were all in the same jumpsuits, had the same looks and most of all were human! All of them were males with tan skin, brown eyes and a military haircut. The group involuntary tensed at the sight of at least a hundred humans in the mess hall.

"I present the imperial clone army." Soundwave announced as he gestured towards the eating humans.

Shock still filled the entire beings of the guards as they took in the humans their features. They did indeed look the same. It was as if they were staring at twins only a lot of them. Reya could hardly grasp how this was possible so she took it upon herself to ask.

"What is all of this?" She questioned looking straight in Soundwave's face.

"As I said this planet is not in any system. The whole purpose of this place is only remembered by me. During the Forerunner-human war the Forerunners found out that the genetics of a human could be easily reproduced. Because of this they began cloning experiments on the humans. The result was the technology to make a real clone of a human specimen. This was one of my first memories that I regained alongside knowledge of the Flood without having to ask anyone." Soundwave started explaining as the clones kept on eating not even noticing the new arrivals due to the fact that they were standing on a walk bridge overseeing the room.

"When we went to the prison on Archeologis before going to Sanghelios we chose a Spartan IV to be the donor. Diablo did the necessary operation and sent the DNA to this facility along with a few instructors including both Vokan 'Mdazam and Temi 'Korum. The facility is somewhat damaged resulting in less clone production but that should be fixed soon." Ghost told them while showing images of the clones.

"But what will be their purpose your grace?" One of the royal guards asked respectfully. The exo gazed at the clones before setting his gaze on his group.

"They're being trained from birth as warriors. They follow mostly Sangheili culture but with some exceptions I made that are somewhat human in nature. They will fight for the Galactic Empire in the war." Soundwave clarified.

The Sangheili looked at each other in some disgust at the idea. Having their very enemy in their ranks was unsettling but they knew it was a law and policy of the empire to receive anyone in their midst. Just because they were human should not mean they cannot contribute to the empire according to their emperor. Who were they to oppose their god king's wisdom? In fact the humans _did_ fight quite well.

"Their training has been paying off well my lord. Some are now almost on par with the Sangheili warriors even if they are human in origin." Vokan spoke up with pride at the clones.

"We shall see that soon. I will inspect them and introduce myself now." Soundwave remarked as he looked at his new soldiers who would follow his every command.

The two trainers nodded and led the visitors towards the training grounds. One of the giant dome-like buildings was entirely made out of training grounds with various exercises and simulations. They were brought to the main training field where the clones were waiting. Soundwave stepped on the podium and looked at the staggering amount of clones. They were all standing neatly in formation with the rest of their respective units.

All of them were wearing their armor and weapons. The clones had white colored armor with other color tints depending on their unit. The helmet concealed their face and had a T-shaped visor. On the underside of the helmet were two access ports for oxygen tubes. The armor consisted out of a chestplate, forearm protectors, shoulder pads, kneepads, etc.… just like the humans. One could clearly see the difference between units. You had clones with red colored armor, blue colored armor and so on.

Every single clone watched the leader of the empire that they were bred to serve walk up the stage. For them it was the first time seeing the emperor make a speech but Soundwave was rather getting tired of having to walk up a stage. He took a few seconds to look at the sight with a critical eye before deciding that it was time.

"Greetings, my name is Soundwave. I am the emperor of the Galactic Empire, the very same empire that you have been trained to serve. Believe me that creating clones was not one of the decisions I am very proud of. However it is not because I think you are all not up to the task but rather that I have created life only to throw it away in a war. Some may ponder on what it would be to not become a soldier but know that I see you just like any other imperial. You are warriors of the Galactic Empire! You will be forced to fight your own species but they will not take care of you like I will. I will see every one of you as a child of mine and fight with you!" Soundwave said with passion as he gazed at the uncovered faces of the clones.

The expressions of the clones were that of surprise but one could see the determination in them to do their duty.

"I will spend time with each of your unit and give you tips but I will also bond with you. Now go to your assigned training area with your brothers and await the fun I will supply you with." Soundwave finished with a kind smile.

The clone officers gathered their units and led them to their areas but all of them were talking excitedly with each other as they made their way. Soundwave nodded to his group and went to the first group of imperial clone troopers. Vokan walked with him as they joined up with the 212th attack battalion. These clone troopers had orange tints on their armor and one had a customized set of armor which clearly indicated he was the commanding officer. Set officer snapped to attention as did the rest of the 212th.

"May I introduce commander CC-2224 or known as Cody by his brothers. He leads the 212th attack battalion and its elite group ghost company." Vokan introduced the two with pride at the clone commander. Cody saluted in the imperial way immediately.

"Commander Cody, it is good to meet you." Soundwave said with a smile and extended his hand.

"The honor is all mine my lord." Cody replied as he shook his leader's hand.

"Now then, how about you introduce me to the rest of your brothers and after that we'll so some drills." Soundwave said as he looked at the various clones. Cody smiled and happily introduced them.

Meanwhile Reya was led by Temi towards another training area. She was happy to spend time with a warrior she admired and respected. The two entered some sort of simulation room filled with clone troopers wearing red tinted armor. The clone officer in charge stepped forward when the two Sangheilis entered. Commander Thorn sported the standard red colors of his unit, but with wing designs on his helmet. He also had a kama, a flexible leather armor accoutrement worn from the belt, and a black visor. Like other clone commanders he had an antenna on his helmet along with one on his left shoulder pad.

"Ma'am, the shock troopers are ready for duty." Commander Thorne said as he looked at the two females.

"Very well Thorn we shall begin soon. Where are commander Fox and lieutenant Thire?" Temi said looking for the two mentioned clones.

"They are with the ARCs at the moment ma'am." Thorn replied.

"We'll have to do without them then. This is supreme commander Reya 'Redam. The second shock trooper company will be assigned to her so you will get to know her soon enough." Temi told the commander who nodded and bowed in respect to his future officer.

"It will be an honor to follow a warrior such as you into battle ma'am." Thorn said clearly showing the influence of the Sangheili culture.

"I will be honored as well commander Thorn." She replied giving a nod of respect.

"The clone shock troopers are personally trained by me and a Jiralhanae called Rokkupus. I am proud to say that the shock troopers are an elite division and are as skilled as Sangheili warriors. Their augmentations and accelerated growth allows us to create clones in a month. They develop easily and are able to absorb information at a fast rate. They already know tactics and other subjects like that from their programing. Of course they also get basic education and are given some free time. We're training warriors, not droids. " Temi told the supreme commander.

"Interesting, what about their weapons? Will they be the same as ours?" Reya inquired.

"Show her some of your weapons Thorn." Temi ordered to which the clone immediately went to the sidelines and picked up his weapons.

He came back with two pistols in the holsters on his hip and a large gun in his hands. Reya was fascinated by the weapon that looked like the machine gun on the older Warthog model. Thorn brought some of his brothers who were all carrying their own weapons. The clone commander held his weapon like a human did with a heavy machine gun.

"This is the Z-6 rotary plasma cannon. It fires up to 200 laser bolts a minute. The pistols are the DC-17 plasma pistols. These fire up to 50 shots before running out of power." Thorn explained as he presented his own weapons. Then the other clones stepped forward showing their weaponry.

These were weapons that she recognized. They were the same as the Frames used in battle.

"I believe you will know these because of your rank but these are indeed the weapons that the droids use. We're mostly put against them but of course also against any possible opponent of course.

After that he showed two devices. A round one and spherical one with each of them having a red button.

"These are the thermal detonator and the thermal imploder. These will be our types of grenades to carry into battle. The thermal imploder is a more powerful version of the detonator. Anything in these beauties their range will be disintegrated." Thorn finished.

"Those are the standard weapons used by the clones but there are some other types we have. How about we begin the simulation." Temi added. Reya smiled and nodded in affirmation.

"Commander Thorn get your forces ready." Temi commanded to which Thorn saluted.

"Yes ma'am! On the double troopers!" Thorn shouted to his brothers. All of the shock troopers hurried to stand in formation and readied their weapons.

The shock troopers stood with their squads at the gates of the training area and performed some last checks on their equipment. Temi and Reya took position with Thorn and waited for the signal to begin the simulation. The alarms blared and soon the doors opened for them revealing a war-torn village.

"Go, go, go!" Thorn yelled as the shock troopers sprinted off towards the battlefield.

The three commanders with some escorts ran up to a crater and dove in it as the enemies opened fire. From behind cover a bunch of fake marines created by the simulator kept on firing their rifles at the clone troopers. The shock troopers found cover as well and returned fire. Reya saw a large vehicle walking behind them and looked at it in wonder.

It was the All-Terrain Tactical Enforcer or AT-TE in short. Soundwave wanted new vehicles for the clone troopers only and as a result they made the AT-TE walker as the standard tank. The walker was used for numerous tasks including, but not limited to, transporting platoons of clone troopers on the battlefield and attacking enemy installations. The AT-TE's rear compartment contained computer hologram communication devices and space for troopers to stand during transportation. On the back end of the machine was a large door that allowed for quick deployment of troopers in a battle.

The typical arsenal of an AT-TE included a top-mounted mass-driver cannon, along with six other plasma cannons placed strategically around the outside of the vehicle. The cockpit was at the front with four of the plasma cannons but was armored to protect the driver. The last two plasma cannons were installed in the back of the large walker. It was longer than the Scorpion tank and had a height of 5.02 meters along with a maximum speed of 60 km/h. The cannon on top of the six-legged walker had to be operated by a gunner but the gunner would be protected as well.

The AT-TE fired its cannon and obliterated the position of a marine squad. The clone troopers used it as an opportunity to take some shots at the marine opponents. The laser bots of the clone troopers their weapons found their marks as numerous humans went down. Reya hefted her concussion launcher and took aim at a MG nest. The explosive shots vanquished the crew manning the turret.

Thorn whistled at the sight and turned his concealed face to her.

"Nice work ma'am but I prefer Hammer here." Thorn said as he rose from cover and sprayed laser bolts at some advancing marines.

The energy bolts burned through their protective armor and killed them on spot. Reya approved of the commander who just halted an entire squad. She heard a trooper go down as he was struck by one of the simulation bullets paralyzing him. She had to give some credit to the clones. They fought bravely and efficiently and the way they kept on attacking without slowing down earned them the name shock trooper.

Due to the spacious room they had there could be aircraft in the simulation area and the humans just brought some. A Hornet launched a rocket at a clone squad's position. They went down but in an instant the Hornet was already down as it crashed in a house with a loud thunder. A pair of clone gunships flew over the wreckage.

"Damn right! Nice to have some larties as support." Thorn commented.

Reya's HUD identified the vehicle as a LAAT gunship/dropship. How it did was a mystery to her but she suspected Ghost had to do something with it. The Low Altitude Assault Transport was like a Phantom or Pelican to clones. The LAAT series gunships were designed to transport up to 30 clone troopers into combat and support them.

The gunship's many weapon systems were designed for both air-to-air combat and air-to-ground support. For long range or slow/fixed targets the LAAT used 2 mass-driver missile launchers (atop the craft) which held a variable payload depending on the mission. 4 light air-to-air missiles hung below each wing (8 in total) for any in-flight targets. 4 solar-beam pinpoint laser turrets - 2 of which were manned by clone troopers and the other two remote controlled by the co-pilot/gunner (on each wing) had a wide field of rotation and could serve in both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. 3 anti-personnel plasma turrets (2 at the front, one at the rear of the craft) supported further ground operations by ensuring a clear path for the deployment of troops or vehicles.

The gunships made attack runs making the marines break up their lines and scatter. At the sight of the smallest gap Thorn gave the order to break through. The clones gave a battle cry and charged the enemy. Even as their brothers fell they pushed on knowing their medic brethren would take care of them. If not then they went down doing their duty. Reya praised the clone's resilience and together with Temi who had been slaying enemies with her plasma rifles they killed the last of the fake enemies.

When the last enemy went down they all cheered. Reya was utterly confused as to why all of them cheered after the fight until she heard cheering from the bystanders. Various units had been looking at the short but vicious battle and all smiled at their shock trooper brothers.

"We finally beat the record and won a bet with the 501st. Rex will have to admit we're as elite as them." Thorn clarified when she approached him.

"The 501st is an elite legion that will be deployed on the most difficult fronts. Captain Rex leads that unit and is a good friend of Cody from the 212th attack battalion and from Thorn as well. Now that I think of it all clone officers are good friends because they went to officer class." Temi added with a smile. She was proud of the warriors she had raised.

"Well I can say that the clones are great warriors even if they have a long way to go. Let us join up with his majesty so we can discuss important topics such as assignments." Reya proposed and deep inside she was excited to have a new personal unit follow her into battle.

…..

On the planet Gannick 22 of the inner colonies a large city was known for one thing: the most powerful criminals lived there. They could not be touched thanks to some protection from various governmental influences. There was a one rule between the criminal families and that was to not mess with each other. At certain dates these families would meet up with each other and discuss topics such as territories and new additions to the criminal world or even potential threats.

Now there was a meeting going on in the Malachite Wolf Resort & Spa. At the entrance of the hotel a column of cars arrived. One fancy limousine was flanked by some armored cars and immediately guards in black suits and guns exited. A man opened the door of the limousine allowing a tall man in a white suit to step out of the vehicle. He lit a cigar and walked up the steps of the hotel's entrance. His grey hair was combed back and the grey mustache added to his menacing look.

The entire lobby was empty as the guards secured the room. The man behind the counter nodded and pressed a button under the counter which opened a secret door. The bodyguards entered the hidden lift along with the man and went underground. When the elevator halted it opened up revealing a large hall with four corners. In the center of the hall was a podium with a holoprojector installed in it. There three more elevators and all of them had a path to the podium.

In one corner there was a luxurious table and behind it sat Damien Le Rouge of the Steel Brotherhood. The man was quite muscled and was dressed in black and red. His guards wore armor with the same colors. The white skull masks added to the reputation of fear the Steel Brotherhood had. They were the toughest mercenary group that one could hire.

In another corner sat Valaine Crane of the Death Syndicate. Its members were specialized in smuggling and assassinations. Their employees were dressed like ninjas from history only with more armor and modern weapons. She had an elegant dress on with the colors black and gold. Her personal guards had their outfits in the exact same colors.

Last but not least was Malcom Hargrove of Charon Industries who had a hand in every major market. He also had many ties to the UNSC and while many knew him from his reputation he was a man not to be trifled with. His guards all wore marine outfits with some of them wearing ODST armor.

"You're late Richard." Malcom remarked with a business-like voice.

Richard Marth was a man who owned many clubs and criminal gangs. Word was that he once belonged to ONI but used his knowledge to become one of the best criminal masterminds. He smirked an sat down at his own desk.

"I got caught up in the traffic. I take it we all know of the recent attacks of the empire?" He answered while looking at the other three critically. Each one of them nodded in confirmation.

"I lost an entire shipment of weapons on Coral because of the imperial attack." Hargrove said with a frown at the loss.

"Well at least we'll get lots of business proposals." Damien said with a shrug.

"Not if all of our planets are glassed." Valaine shot back.

"Or you can join us." A voice said out of nowhere.

Everyone in the room tensed and looked around for the threat. On the podium a figure shimmered until a man appeared. The man was wearing steel and orange colored armor with the SCOUT-type helmet. The guards of the criminal masterminds quickly readied their weapons and aimed at the intruder.

"And you are?" Richard asked lazily.

"Felix…" Damien hissed with a glare directed at the mercenary.

"Nice to see you as well Rouge. I missed that lovely sneer of yours." Felix said with a grin.

"You know him?" Valaine asked. Damien crossed his arms in annoyance and elaborated.

"He's a mercenary and once worked with the Brotherhood. Then he decided to run off with some of my best operatives." Rouge told her while keeping his eyes on Felix.

"Ah Felix, it's been a long time." Hargrove said with a neutral face.

"That's right it has been a long time indeed. Now I would love to talk about the past but I'm currently here to talk about the future." Felix said with that same witty voice.

"Oh and that would be?" Richard questioned with his curiosity at full throttle.

"I am here to preach of the one person who will rule the underworld. I am his missionary! I am his prophet to spread the light! Little bit dramatic?" Felix said with fanaticism at first until he turned his head to the spot behind him. Out of thin air Locus appeared as his cloaking device shut off.

"Just do your job." Locus grunted in annoyance.

"Ok, ok I get it. Now let's talk seriously shall we." Felix said with no witty tone this time. Hargrove hadn't seen Felix that serious in a long time.

"We're here to present a new player in the criminal underworld. You can call him the Shadow. For now he'll do what his name implies. He'll stay in the darkness, unseen and discreet. He has the objective of making a presence to rival those of all of you. Now he wants to ask if anyone wants to join him. He has resources you would dream of and an army that awaits his every command. The imperials made him what he is today and he will release terror upon his foes." Felix said with a bit of drama only to reinforce his point.

"More competition? You do know that we'll easily crush this Shadow you speak of right?" Rouge asked while looking at the mercs as if they were mad.

"Suit yourself but know that the war is going to make us very rich while you will deal with its bad aspects unless you join." Felix retorted.

"I think I'll decide later. Unlike the others I'm actually interested in your proposal." Richard mused.

"I'll pass." Damien growled.

"The Death Syndicate will convene about this and send a response later." Valaine said politely.

"If you prove to be competent then I'll consider the offer." Hargrove answered thinking about nothing but business.

"Better than I thought. We'll show ourselves out." Felix said with a nod and turned to the elevator.

Around twenty mercuries disengaged their cloaks from their positions around the podium and exited as well. The criminal masterminds kept the proposal in their minds before talking about other matters. All the while Felix grinned and dialed a very pleased employer. The holoprojector showed a distorted figure and he spoke in a distorted voice as well.

"How did it go?" He asked curiously.

"They didn't shoot us so I'll take it as a win." Felix said with a smirk.

"Some we're going to think about the proposal." Locus informed stoically.

"Whether they join or not was not the point of this. All that was necessary was to announce our presence. We will strike at our targets as planned. Prepare your forces while I begin the cyber on the bank." The figure told the two mercenary leaders.

"Understood, everything is in place." Locus answered.

"Begin the heist then. The money will be used to fund the empire's operations and will be your reward as well." The new player said before shutting the comm off.

…..

 **Alright so next up the retaliation of the UNSC. That chapter will be more centered on that event. I also regret to inform you that the next chapter will be delayed by the dreaded exams I'm going to face next week. God I hate those….**

 **I also want to tell you that the clones were indeed from Star Wars. I'll have you know that I already planned on clones but they were not those from the Star Wars universe. After some reflection I just scrapped it and used the Fett clones. If you're going to hate the story now then sorry but I already gave a warning this could happen. So don't go saying 'You ripped off Star Wars'.**

 **Any way see you next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Exams + vacation + holidays = delay**

 **Now that is some math right there. Anyways here is the next chapter which can be seen as a sort of ending to the first arc. There will be a larger time skip in the next one and I am shortening the chapters as well. From now on they will range from 10000 to 15000 words. I think it'll be easier to read and easier to write that way. Enjoy!**

…..

"General, a human fleet is entering the system!" The Elite ensign at the sensor station reported with an alarmed tone.

Rudo sprang up from his command seat aboard the _Imperial Armageddon_ and growled. He looked at the holotable and watched as human ships exited slipspace. A sizable fleet consisting mostly out of frigates but with a fair share of destroyers and a few capital ships. Rudo noticed that the human fleet was larger than the one they had beaten in the attack. Now they had at least twice the numbers.

Er-Murazor quickly brought up an analysis of the enemy fleet. It had roughly forty frigates, twenty destroyers and five capital ships. The enemy outnumbered his ships but most of them were frigates. It was a possibility that they had ships waiting to reinforce their allies so he had to be careful. He still had the orbital defense platform they had captured in the initial assault but couldn't rely too much on it. Rudo growled again as he noticed the enemy assume formation to engage him.

"All hands to combat! Order our ships to stay in formation and ready their weapons along with their starfighters. Alert the ground forces as well and have them send support at once!" Rudo ordered the bridge crew. The different species all went to their stations.

"Enemy identified as part of the human fifth fleet under command of vice-admiral Connor." The AI announced as it turned its hooded face to the general who clicked his mandibles in thought.

"What do we know about this human?" Rudo questioned as he saw the enemy fleet approach.

"He is the pupil of an admiral called Harper. The man is smart and will not back down of a challenge. Not much is known about him except for the fact that he is somewhat drawn to following the tactics of his mentor." Er-Murazor reported. It was not much but at least gave an idea of what kind of foe they were dealing with.

"General, the enemy ships are gathering energy at the front of their ships!" The sensor officer reported. On the console the readings of energy charged was being displayed and showed they were growing with each passing second.

"They're about to fire those long range cannons. Take evasive maneuvers!" Rudo shouted in alarm.

Not any time sooner had the words been said or a staggering amount of MAC rounds were released and headed straight towards the imperial fleet. The ships obeyed his command but were too slow. The rounds impacted and dealt massive damage to the shields. Rudo cursed in his native language as a few cruisers went down with bright explosions. The enemy had yet to come in range of their own weapons and he had already lost many crew members.

"General, the orbital defense platform has informed me that they are ready to fire." The Nazgûl AI announced. Rudo gave a predatory grin and pointed at the destroyer at the front of the enemy formation.

"Take it down." He ordered.

The large captured MAC aimed at the targeted destroyer and let out a massive slug. It coursed through the empty darkness of space straight at the human ship. It was a frontal hit and broke immediately through the shields. The shot went clean through the middle and hit the reactor causing it to evaporate in an immense explosion. Debris was scattered and hit some of the lighter frigates dropping their shields by a small amount.

"Target eliminated, due to damage to the orbital defense platform sustained in previous battle it will take approximately two minutes to reload and power up for another attack." The AI of the capital ship told Rudo who nodded.

"Prepare to fire plasma torpedoes along with twenty-five percent of our missiles. Power up the energy projectors and pick the larger ships as primary targets." Rudo ordered as he sat down again.

The crew typed away on the consoles to carry out his orders and the helmsman repositioned the ship for a better shot. The cruisers under his command followed suit and readied their torpedoes and missiles. The humans broke off as if sensing the move and spread out while advancing on the imperial fleet.

"Sir, we have a lock on the hostile fleet." The weapons officer said looking at the general. Rudo nodded and was about to comment but was interrupted by the sensor officer.

"We've got the same energy readings again! They're about to fire!" The Elite announced with urgency. Rudo clenched his mandibles before reacting. He quickly turned to the comm officer and the AI.

"Strengthen the shields at the front of our ships and try to ricochet them away." Rudo ordered swiftly. Both did so and from the viewports the crew saw the imperial fleet reposition themselves.

"Status on those weapons?" Rudo asked the weapons CO.

"Ready, general." Was the answer.

"Fire!" Rudo ordered with a clenched fist.

From the hulls of the imperial ships ports opened to allow the torpedoes and missiles to leave. They all shot away at a tremendous speed and coursed toward the human fleet going straight for their targets. The humans responded with their point defense weapons to repel the attack. The flak guns fired at the incoming projectiles and reduced them until half of their original number remained. The imperial projectiles then struck the ships and exploded in colorful destruction. Shields were broken through and hulls were breached. Some of the torpedoes went through a frigate like a hot knife through butter. Debris was scattered all over the human fleet's position.

At that moment the MACs unleashed another volley at the imperials. With the defensive tactic some shots did indeed bounce of the angled and heavily shielded hulls of the imperial ships. However not everyone was so lucky. MAC shots still broke the shields and damaged hulls or punched holes through the armor. At a few cruisers a chain of explosions went off taking some of their systems down. Rudo gripped the command chair as the flagships was hit by no less than two destroyers and three frigates.

"Status report!" He commanded loudly over the alarms.

"We lost only a few ships this time but the battleship _Unrelenting Absolution_ has been lost and crew members are headed for the escape pods. They lost their commanding officer as the bridge was destroyed." An ensign answered.

"It appears that the enemy has sustained quite the amount of casualties but they are now closing in on us. They appear to be launching fighters. By the emperor they outnumber ours!" Another crew member reported with wide eyes.

"They are being accompanied by boarding craft, sir." The sensor officer told the general.

"Ready pulse lasers and call for backup. Launch our fighters but tell the Dusks to stay in the back of the fighter formation. Alert the guards that we'll have visitors soon. Tell Baron 'Sraom he will lead the aerial attack." Rudo ordered and stepped out of his seat to stand close to the holotable.

All of a sudden a bright light shot past the flagship and hit another human ship. It had already sustained damage due to the bombardment. Its already depleted shields stood no chance against such a MAC shot as it went through the human destroyer. It slowly began to go down but it gave the crew enough time to abandon ship.

"All ships forward to meet the enemy in combat!" Rudo ordered with a talon stretched out towards the enemy fleet to emphasize his point.

As the warships accelerated towards the enemy their fighter and bomber wings were deployed as a spearhead to prevent enemy fighters to gain the advantage.

"Enemy ships and fighters approaching." A Longsword pilot said through the comms as the flock of human fighters flew to intercept the imperials.

"Remember, bombers and lighter ships are primary targets. Stay close and stay alive." The flagship's comm officer said.

"You heard the lady, make sure those imps won't get close to our fleet." The squad leader told his squad of Longswords. The large planes soon got in range to lock on the enemy's fighters.

"I've got two targets." A pilot said as the targeting systems marked the mentioned Seraphs.

"Alright, engage them!" The squad leader ordered.

Simultaneously the Longswords fired their ASGM-10 missiles at the smaller horde of imperial Seraphs. The imperials all shot their class-2 projectile cannons lighting the inky black space with green blobs of radioactive material. In a matter of moments bright explosions illuminated the dark as living beings died in the vacuum of space when their fighters went down. Pilots broke off and shot past their foes only to turn around and engage.

A pair of UNSC frigates initiated a slipspace jump to appear next to the surprised imperials. Their point defense weapons were ablaze with firing at the Seraphs. The Dusks in the back of the formation broke off and all headed towards the frigates to deal with them. The Longswords noticed and began attacking the vulnerable bombers. Turrets spun around aiming at potential threats but even with their shields they fell victim to the harassing heavy weaponry of the UNSC fighters.

Acknowledging the threat the Seraphs went after the enemies that targeted their bomber brethren. Plasma was shot and hulls of the Longsword fighters melted and burned as it made contact. The left frigate suddenly erupted in flames at its starboard side as Dusks made attack runs. The bombs ripped apart armor plating and burned equipment until nothing remained of it. A munition storage for the frigate's heavy weapons fell victim to a plasma bomb and blew up fiercely. With its damaged side the frigate stumbled and floated helplessly as the damage spread to its engines.

The Longswords fighters made a protective formation around the last frigate as it went further ahead and closed in on the Seraph fighters. Missiles were launched and flew towards the group that scattered. Even with the evasive maneuvers the imperial were followed by the swarms of rockets while still being attacked by point defense weaponry of the UNSC ship. The Dusks already lost a third of their fighting capacity before finally breaking through the enemy's defense. The horde unleashed their own swarm of explosives with devastating results as the frigate's important systems were destroyed by either the electrical charges or the corrosive capabilities.

The imperials regrouped as the rest of the UNSC fleet came closer and closer. On the other side the imperial fleet approached as well. As soon as both were in range it happened. It was no longer a fight between pilots now. As each side unleashed salvos of bombardments on the enemy the naval battle had officially begun.

MAC cannons were fired at pointblank range along with the imperial energy projectors. It was a fierce beginning as within minutes ships began to succumb to enemy fire. Hulls were either ripped apart or molten to slag. Scrap was dotting the surrounding area making it for the pilots a difficult task to evade the enemies while trying not ram against junk. Rudo clenched his talons as a cruiser fell victim to the combined assault of three frigates and fighter wings.

"Launch a salvo of arc missiles at the position of that destroyed cruiser. Order a Dusk squadron to attack those frigates." Rudo instructed while keeping his calm. He never enjoyed seeing the troops under his command die. He detested it and so he tried to keep them alive to the best of his abilities.

"General a few of those ships are breaking off and are headed for the planet." A crew member said with worry in her voice. Rudo turned to the female and gave an assuring smile.

"Do not worry, our sisters and brethren on the surface will be able to repel whatever the humans throw at them. For now we have our own battle to fight." He said and was happy the soldier perked up and returned to her station.

"Sir, boarding craft! They have entered one of the secondary hangars!" An operative said alarmed as the security feed showed a large number of marines swarming the hangar.

"Order all security personnel in the area to keep them back. Send other teams to reinforce them and lock it down." Rudo said as he saw the feed himself.

Imperial soldiers took cover behind crates or anything else they could find as the marines attack relentlessly. They had brought heavy ordinance including railguns. The heavy weapons literally tore through any unlucky soldier to be in its path. What worried the imperials the most was not the large number of marines, no, it was the small yet substantial amount of Spartan IVs. They engaged the defenders of the large ship with deadly precision. They would strike the weakest spots of the imperials and before they could reinforce that position another would be almost lost.

Fire raged on as the battle began to warm up. This was aided by the flamethrowers some of the marines were equipped with. The hangar was by no means small, in fact it was quite large, but there were positions with limited space and the humans knew where to strike. If it wasn't for the reinforcements in the form of plasma turrets carried by gunners that positioned themselves on the higher platforms they would have been pushed back already.

"Move up!" A Spartan shouted as he and his team along with two squads of marines went through a hall way leading to the higher levels. Some of the imperials had gathered themselves and deployable cover to stop the attackers there.

"Take that Brute down!" A corporal yelled as the private behind him fell on the ground with three spikes in the chest. A Spartan rolled over the ground while taking potshots at the large Brute. The ape snarled but wisely took cover as another Spartan aimed at it with a DMR.

A Grunt who tried to fire its pistol at one of the humans died before knowing it thanks to a sniper rifle being shot from at the beginning of the hallway. The Spartan marksman carefully aimed away at an Elite who sprung away from his cover with a plasma grenade in his hand. The sniper pulled the trigger and with tremendous speed and accuracy the bullet found its mark in the grenade. The device exploded taking the Elite and the surrounding soldiers down.

"Forward!" The sergeant yelled as he and his men charged the remaining defenders. The few Jackals and Grunts stood no chance with their better warriors taken down.

"Eliminate the gunners." The Spartan leader said as the three other IVs nodded in confirmation.

A Brute roared as he spotted the human soldiers exiting the hallway and set foot on the higher platform. He lifted his brute shot and fired a grenade at the intruders. It was a miss at first but the second grenade hit a marine square in the chest blowing her and a companion up. The Spartan IV equipped with the DMR fired at the menace and put it down before it could fire again. The large soldier fell down with dull eyes. The grenade launcher clattered on the platform before falling down below.

By now the other imperials were alerted and tried to push the attackers back. The Jackals formed a defensive line with their shields and Elites stood behind them using carbines and plasma rifles. The tactic successfully forced the humans into cover and halted their advance. The fireteam leader switched for his own grenade launcher and fired three grenades at the line. The imperials were too distracted and failed to notice the three spherical devices at their feet. The Spartan pushed the detonation button and felt the platform shake as the grenades blew the imperials away.

The Spartan sniper took position up at a crate and placed his bipod before taking shots at the enemies on the opposite platform. Gunners were eliminated as they fell victim to the large bullets of the human sniper rifle. The sniper grinned as another Grunt went down but then a beam of energy hit his shoulder and made his shields flare. He ducked knowing it was a Jackal sniper hiding from his own spot. He waited for his shields to recharge and then sprung out of cover. Another beam narrowly went past his head and with his enhanced senses took the Jackal down. The imperial fell from his spot and landed on one of the deployable covers down below.

"We need more support on the upper level." The Spartan fireteam leader said in the comms.

"Sending some marines up there now." Someone answered. Some squads ran up to the cleared hallway and reinforced the attack on the other imperials.

"The enemy is gaining ground, we need reinforcements!" An imperial officer yelled desperately in their own comm network. The fight was going not so well for the imperial side and they had lost half of the hangar by now to human boarders.

On the bridge Rudo growled realizing why the humans had focused on boarding his ship. They must have thought the emperor was here on the ship or at least someone in the highest command chain, him for example. He pondered on what to do and then he got the idea. With a predatory grin he turned to his comm and spoke a few words in it. The receiver gave confirmation to the request and the general turned to the viewport again to look at the enemy's capital ship. The humans were in for a surprise, that was for sure.

Back at the hangar the fight was turning more bloody. Lines were scattered and people fought in close combat with each other. Knifes and plasma swords were used to cut the enemy down while rifles were fired from pointblank range without aiming. The imperials just received word reinforcements were on their way and valiantly put up a final stand. A Pelican had slipped through the hangar doors and was unloading heavy caliber rounds in imperial groups. The spray of metal bullets was tearing the various imperial species apart. If it wasn't for the Hunters they would have been forced back a while ago.

Just as it seemed they would have to fall back a small group of four rockets flew at the Pelican and took down its left wing sending it pummeling into a few marines. Many looked to the source of the rocket barrage and in the case of the humans were dumbfounded. Standing there with his entire company of eighty was a Cabal Colossus. He gave a roar which was joined by the other Cabal war cries and soon by the other imperials.

The Colossus lifted his heavy slug thrower and fired at the front position of the boarders. It either pinned them down or ripped them apart. The Legionaries quickly spread out heading to the imperials who needed the most help. The Centurions gave support with their grenade launchers and the Phalanxes created cover as the imperials advanced. Due to the new reinforcements and the counter attack the human boarders had to pull back a bit even with their Spartans. The Cabal were very efficient and could block the attacks of the humans while fighting back. The fight in the hangar was going to take a while with neither side giving up.

…..

"Move that tank forward and link up with the second assault platoon!" A sergeant yelled from the landing zone on the planet's surface.

With the ground forces being able to land they had chosen a few staging areas with one being close to the city of Abreburg. Soldiers were hurrying around to link up with their units, vehicles were unloaded and brought to the front and aerial units were already taking off. At the head of the 4th regiment stood colonel Wilt. The entire assault force to retake the city and the surrounding territories consisted out of infantry, armor and aerial units. They even had an entire bomber wing to call on for backup. But the thing that assured him the most were the Elephants being able to deploy a shitload of troops along with having the firepower to repel attacks.

"Ready to go at your command colonel." The lieutenant-colonel in the back of his troop Warthog said. Wilt nodded and took one more glance at the assault force behind him before grabbing his comm.

"All units, move out." Wilt ordered.

As one the troops began marching and vehicles drove forward. Hornets and Falcons hovered above them looking out for any trouble with their Vultures ready to rain hell on their foes. The march went on for what seemed like an hour full with anxiety but it was only half an hour before reaching the outskirts of the city. Wilt sent scouts ahead on Mongooses to see if there were any enemies ahead in the farms and industrial complexes that dotted the landscape. The terrain was not full with hills like those close to the capital but that also meant less cover. He was about to give the order to march on before one of the scouts reported.

"Sir, the enemy is advancing towards your position." One said through the comm. Wilt frowned and grabbed his binoculars. He saw various imperial vehicles including Wraiths, Ghosts, some sort of new walker and upgraded Shadow transports. He growled as he saw they brought a pair of AA-Wraiths with them. He also saw a new tank that was quite similar to the Scorpion. Luckily he brought some Grizzlies with him.

"Everyone spread out! Get ready to be shelled by Wraiths!" He called out to everyone.

The humans quickly did so and took cover at farms and other buildings. The armored units took position at the most concealed spots but ready to move out.

"Incoming!" Someone yelled as blobs of plasma rained down on them. The plasma shelling them was not very accurate and there were only minimal casualties. Meanwhile the imperials kept on advancing until they were in firing range.

"Move up and open fire on those imperial bastards!" Wilt ordered from his Warthog.

The tanks rolled forward and fired their own shells at the imperial armor. Some of the Wraiths exploded in bright explosions. The Rhinos lined up their cannons and unleashed their own artillery barrage. More of the imperials fell victim to the firepower of the UNSC assault force.

Field marshal 'Tramae growled as he realized he had underestimated the enemy. He quickly gave the command to deploy the Frames and use the armor to take down the enemy by focusing on specific targets.

The Landstalkers stopped marching and turned their weapons either towards the marines or the aircraft in sky. Their plasma guns were spewing out the plasma bolts at a fast rate while firing their mortars. The marines had to keep on moving as the walkers cut them down. The Hornets found themselves getting locked on by the targeting systems of the Landstalkers and had to deploy flares or risk getting shot down. An unfortunate pilot had the bad luck to have one of the Landstalkers to rip its left wing apart with its guns. Seeing the potential threat a group of Scorpion tanks aimed their barrels at the offending walkers and with their heavy shells made short work of them if possible. Some of the Landstalkers either lost their shields, blew up or lost a leg because of the tanks.

"Deploy fireteam Rhino to aid in breaking through the enemy lines." Wilt ordered as he saw a Phantom decimate a squad of marines with its plasma guns and the gunners at the side of the craft.

At one of the front Elephants the hatch opened up revealing fireteam Rhino full armed and ready to take on the imperials. The five Spartan IVs looked on at the raging battle in front of them.

"Now that's something you don't see every day." Rhino-3 quipped.

"Won't be the last time either." Came the gruff voice of Rhino-2 who gripped his assault rifle tighter.

"Spartans, this is colonel Wilt. I need the five of you to take down those AA-Wraiths along with their new walkers. Until then I won't be able to bring my bomber wing here and the pilots will take a beating. I've got a potential weak spot at the refinery. The imperial presence over there is not as strong as on other fronts plus there are two AA-Wraiths stationed there. I'll send the location to you now." The colonel explained over the comms. The Spartans their maps were instantly updated with markers showing the way.

"Are we going to get any support sir?" Rhino-1 asked as the squad began moving up.

"I have three Scorpions and five squads of rangers to help you. They are waiting for you before they're going to attack." Wilt answered with a bit of static interrupting him due to a plasma round striking the soil close to his position.

"Roger that sir, Rhino will take care of your problem." The fireteam leaker said and sprinted forward.

"Good luck Spartans, colonel Wilt out." The colonel told the fireteam before leaving the Spartans to their task.

"Alright move it Rhino. Those Wraiths are waiting for us to blow them up." Rhino-1 told his teammates with a grin behind his helmet.

With great haste the Spartan fireteam hurried towards the friendlies that would help them attack the refinery. All around them sounds of battle could be heard. Gunshots, engines roaring, artillery, cannons, explosions and the sound of dying soldiers. It was a cruel display of war. This did not bother the Spartan IVs. They were trained to block those horrors out and focus on their mission. Thanks to their augmentations they made it to the rally point in only a few minutes. So far they had not seen any imperial close to their position.

"The Spartans are here!" One of the UEG rangers yelled from his seat on the top of a Cougar. The AFV was going to join the three Scorpions along with four other Cougars.

"Spartans, there is only one way for the armor to move up and that's on the main road. We'll have to pass several structures before reaching the targets. Could you keep those imps off our backs for now?" The captain in charge asked.

"No problem sir, we'll take care of anything they throw at us." Rhino-1 said with a nod as his team spread out.

"Alright move out and be ready for anything!" The captain ordered and entered the first Scorpion.

The group went forward on the main road that led deeper into the refinery where the enemy should be. They had made it only a couple of meters past the gate and they were already under attack by the imperials. Elites and Grunts came out of the buildings with Jackals on top of them armed with carbines.

The Cougars fired their gauss cannons at the enemy squads blowing them away before switching to their MGs to take down the stragglers. The Scorpions rolled forward with cannons blazing as well pinning any imperial down. The rangers took cover behind the armor as they moved up forcing the former Covenant troops back.

"Rhino-2 and 3, head to that administration complex on the left to clear it out and take a squad of rangers with you. Rhino-5 climb up that water tower and stand ready to give support. Rhino-4 you're with me. Let's do this people." The fireteam leader instructed. Four acknowledgments went his way before the squad split up.

The reception room was quiet so far as Two and Three scanned the room for any hostiles. When they were sure it was clear they called in the eight rangers hat were going to help them. They piled into the room and decided who was going with who.

"I'll take the upper floor while you take this one, that alright?" Two asked.

"Fine but hurry up." Three responded curtly as he took four rangers with him.

The five human soldiers went up the stairs and peered into the abandoned hallway. No one was there to shoot them so they went further in. Rhino-2 looked at his motion tracker and put up a fist when a red dot came on it. The rangers halted and aimed their weapons in front of them. The red dot disappeared but Two did not relax. His eyes scanned every corner of the hallway and if it were not for his trained eyes he wouldn't have seen the small amount of dust that whirled upwards. With no delay he aimed his assault rifle and fired at the position. A form of a cloaked Elite began to shimmer as it lunged forward. It was going to make a last effort to stab the IV with his sword but went down when the rangers opened fire as well.

"For the emperor!" An Elite roared as the rest of the imperials came out of cover with guns blazing.

The humans simply took cover and watched the plasma fly by harmlessly. Rhino-2 pulled out a grenade and threw it at the still shooting Elites. One roared in warning and ducked but four others didn't make it. Now the Spartan IV and rangers came out of cover and filled the rest of them with holes and lead. The last Sangheili choked on his own blood before falling to the ground next to his dead brothers. The human soldiers spared only a single glance before moving on to check if they were truly dead.

"Humans coming! Humans coming!" A Grunt squeaked as he joined up with the squad of Grunts and Jackals.

"Flashbang in three." A ranger said. She counted to three and then threw it.

A loud bang and a bright flash filled the room with the imperial soldiers as they yelled in pain. The Spartan quickly went into the room and took down the Jackals first while the rangers focused on the Grunts. The aliens stood no chance and went down easily. Seeing no other threat the humans secured the room and inspected it.

"We've got three Fuel Rods here. Looks like they planned on ambushing the lads on the road." A ranger with a Scottish accent said.

"Take them with you, they might be useful for later." Rhino-2 ordered. When the weapons were strapped to the rangers their backs the group went back down.

They exited the administration building to see one of the Cougars destroyed. It was tilting to the right side with a hole in its armored plating. Whoever had been driving it was now reduced to ash. Rhino-2 shook his head and jogged towards the rest of the group. Rhino-1 noticed him and the rangers and turned his attention to them.

"Let me guess, an enemy ambush?" He asked as if knowing the answer already. Rhino-2 nodded his Recon helmet.

"Bunch of Elites with cloaking tech along with Jackals and Grunts. We took their fuel rods with us." Rhino-2 said and motioned to the weapons.

"Smart, we'll be using them soon." Rhino-1 praised and took them with him.

The assault force crossed the last roadblock and reached the imperials. What they didn't expect were the fifty robots standing with the imperials. The captain was about to order everyone to spread out but a few plasma rounds struck his Scorpion. The armor melted down to slag and the heat ignited the fuel. The tank blew up and sent some shrapnel hitting a ranger.

"Find cover!" Rhino-1 shouted as the Frames raised their weapons.

Laser bolts flew over the human soldiers as the Frames advanced forward. The remaining Cougars and Scorpions opened fire on the Frames but had to deal with two Landstalkers and a Wraith as well. Not to mention the imperials trying to flank them while the Frames attacked head-on.

"Rhino-5, some help would be appreciated!" Rhino-1 said while taking down another Frame.

As if on cue the Frame closest to his downed target received a hole through its blocky eye. The machine slumped forward but not before another one went down in the same way.

"You don't have to yell you know." The sniper said calmly while tracking more enemies.

"Enemies coming from the right. They got another walker!" A ranger yelled.

Indeed another imperial group arrived on the scene with more Frames and another Landstalker. One of the walkers that were there in the beginning went up in flames thanks to a Cougar but the other Landstalker was not happy with that. The plasma mortars began charging up and turned towards the light armored vehicle. The driver of said vehicle noticed the threat but was too slow. The plasma mortars unleashes six rounds of deadly plasma. The armor of the Cougar melted under the immense heat and destroyed the driver seat as well. The driver died in a fiery hell.

"I need machine gun support on those Frames now!" Rhino-1 yelled.

One of the rangers equipped with a SAW began filling the droids with holes. The machines kept walking forward even as they fell onto the hard ground. The Frames simply stepped over the carcasses of their broken counterparts. Laser bots whizzed past Rhino-1's helmet and he could still feel the intense heat of the deadly energy projectiles.

"I've got a lock on the AA-Wraith." The driver of the remaining Scorpion announced and fired a shell at the Wraith that kept on eliminating human aircraft. It hit the cannons of the tank and made it erupt in a green fireball.

"What about the other one?" The Spartan fireteam leader questioned.

"It's behind that building and too many enemies in the way sir." The tank operator answered.

"No problem sir, we got the bastard." A ranger said over the comms with barely concealed glee.

The rangers armed with the fuel rod guns crouched from behind a downed Landstalker and shot at the Wraith with their confiscated weapons. Again the imperial tank stood no chance as it was easily destroyed. The rangers cheered as the imperials began pulling back now there was no reason to occupy the refinery. Both AA-Wraiths at the refinery were now completely destroyed.

"This is Rhino-1 to colonel Wilt, enemy AA at the refinery destroyed. Mission accomplished." The Spartan IV said through the connection he had to the command post where colonel Wilt sat.

"Acknowledged Spartan, good job. Enemy AA fire has been significantly reduced and I'm calling in that bomber wing now. Clear out the refinery and the area around it for now. Colonel Wilt out." The colonel ordered before changing the comm channel. He could finally call in the flyboys and hopefully end this sooner.

On the other side of the battlefield the imperial leader received a lot of bad news he did not want to hear.

"We lost another AA position thanks to those demons field marshal." An Unggoy reported.

Mruta 'Tramae growled in agitation at the report. The Unggoy looked uneasy with the agitated mood of his commander and took it as a sign to get back to his post. The field marshal's holotable gave a good idea of what the battle looked like. The empire was losing ground.

While it costed the humans a lot to gain the advantage they still made good progress. The imperials were being forced back and the reports of demons on the battlefield worried many. The Frames were the only thing keeping the enemy back at the moment but it would not last with the amount of enemy armor and aircraft. Oh that damned aircraft. At the moment any air support he would get was going to be too late. The enemy was winning and staying at the industrial area was going to be a complete defeat. Mruta had no choice now.

With two heavy hearts he activated his comm.

"Issue a retreat towards the city immediately. The Frames are to cover us while we retreat."

…..

The _imperial Armageddon_ was still under attack by the UNSC along with the burning ships around it. The fighting had spread to areas outside of the hangar even with the Cabal joining the fight. Many corpses littered the ship's floor and rivers of mixed blood dotted it. The imperials had tried their best to stop the UNSC but the marines and Spartans had managed to damage vital systems. However even with all of the fighting there were no battles going on in the parts close to the ship's data center. But of course that wasn't going to stay that way.

"Clear, move up." Locke said through the comms of fireteam Osiris.

The other Spartans IVs moved up and looked around carefully as they made their way through the corridor. So far there had been only two patrols of imperials that they had to evade. Their mission was very clear and given to them by the top brass of ONI. Use the assault of the marine boarding parties to sneak towards the ship's data center and download as much intel as they could. ONI clearly wanted payback for the humiliation the empire had brought upon them.

It was for this reason that fireteam Osiris had been chosen to do the infiltration. Buck had some experience with sneaking after the events of New Mombasa and Vale, being the swiftest, was no stranger to the art of stealth. Locke was already trained in this particular art because of his training as an ONI operative. Then you had Tanaka…

"When are we there? We've been sneaking around for fifteen minutes and it doesn't look like we've made any progress." Tanaka grumbled in irritation as she aimed her SAW at one of the corridors.

"It's that or fight through an entire army. What would you do?" Buck asked and looked at Tanaka who's helmet was giving him a blank stare. "Never mind."

"We should be there soon. How far Vale?" Locke said while going forward quietly.

Vale quickly looked at the map they got with the path towards the data center marked and said "Just one more corridor and we're there."

The fireteam continued in silence and stopped at the corner of the corridor they were about to take. Locke pulled out a small camera and placed it around the corner. Through the visual of his helmet he saw the guards standing at the door. Two Elite Minors armed with plasma rifles. Locke silently gave his team commands using gestures to which they nodded.

The guards jolted as some sort of knocking noise came from around the corner. They looked at each other and then walked forward. The Elites came around the corner only to be tackled to the floor by Buck and Tanaka. Vale and Locke followed suit and stabbed them in the neck. Both Elites went limp and let their rifles fall out of their hands. The Spartans dragged the bodies of the dead guards back to their posts and readied themselves to breach the data center.

"Osiris, prepare to breach in three, two, one, now!" Locke ordered and opened the door. He unclipped a flashbang and threw it in the room.

A bright light and loud noise was created by the flashbang disorienting the occupants. A Grunt stumbled out of the room only to get his neck snapped by Locke. The Spartans entered the room and quickly identified all the enemies. It was a square shaped room with terminals in the middle pointing at the corners. There was only one other entrance and that was at the other side of the room. In the middle of the room stood a larger terminal obviously holding the most data.

The Elites at the terminals groaned as their eyes began to adjust. Buck ran up to them and used his shotgun to take down as many as he could before they recovered. Tanaka started spraying bullets at the hostiles as well but careful enough not to hit anything important. Vale and Locke gave support as well by taking down other guards. Within moments the imperials were dead on the floor while the Spartans took over the data center.

"Alright let's see what we can gain." Locke said and pulled out a data cube.

He went to the main terminal and plugged it in. Within the nanosecond a fourth generation AI designed to infiltrate enemy systems made itself known. It began the procedure of copying as much intel it could at once. In the meantime the Spartans guarded the AI from anything that was out to stop it. Vale and Locke guarded the door they came through while Tanaka and Buck did the same with the other.

All sorts of info was being copied by the smart AI ranging from communication codes to troop positions. ONI spared no expense on the AI as it proved to be very capable of bypassing the security of the imperial vessel. Buck still thought it was too slow.

"I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this Locke. My gut is telling me we're in trouble." Buck said concerned.

"You sure it isn't that expired candy bar you ate before this operation?" Tanaka scoffed.

"Buck's mostly right you know." Vale defended the former ODST.

"Alert! Hostile AI has begun a cyber-attack to purge me from the system!" The ONI AI announced loudly. Locke quickly went to the terminal and saw some of the other terminals flash green or black.

"Can you eliminate the threat?" Locke questioned with his hand hovering over the data cube to remove it at any moment.

"Negative, this AI seems to be very advanced and is tearing through my firewalls. Further assimilation of enemy intel would result in my complete annihilation. The enemy AI is overriding any control I have." The AI answered.

"Prepare for ejection now!" Locke ordered.

The AI waited a few seconds before answering "Ready for removal."

Locke wasted no time and pulled the AI out of the terminal. He placed the data cube back into his pouch and not a second later the terminals all shut down. All except for the main terminal. The holoprojector turned on gaining the attention of Locke. A figure of a dark robed person appeared before him. It had no face under its dark hood with an iron crown on. The crown was full with spikes and the eye sockets let Locke gaze into the darkness with barely visible codes flashing in it.

"Do not come between a Nazgûl AI and his prey." The imperial AI hissed and disappeared again. Sirens began to blare alerting the guards that there was a breach.

"Osiris, get moving!" Locke ordered quickly.

The Spartans exited the data center and ran down the hallway they came through with great speed. As they passed one of the doors it opened up revealing a squad of angry Jackals that began to chase them down. The Jackals started shooting radioactive material bolts at the Spartans with their carbines as they ran after them. Vale pulled out her SMG and fired back at the squad that chased them relentlessly.

"Sound the retreat before we get jammed." Locke ordered while dropping a frag grenade. The Spartans went around a corner just as the grenade went off. Buck looked over his shoulder to see a shredded body of a Jackal lying in its own blood.

"Already sent it, everyone's running for the transports." Tanaka said.

"I propose we do the same. That AI looked rather pissed." Buck told them. He checked his radar for hostiles and was relieved to see nothing on it except for his teammates. Just before he focused on their escape route again the radar showed static.

"Am I the only one with a messed up radar?" Tanaka asked.

"This doesn't look good." Vale remarked.

Just as the nimble Spartan said that they entered one of the smaller hangars. Upon arrival they stopped as they saw their pelican up ahead. One pilot was slumped against the open boarding ramp while the other had an energy sword through her chest as she was being held up by an Elite. The Elite in golden armor with reddish skin and golden eyes turned his head towards the fireteam and glared.

"Demons." He hissed before letting the body of the dead pilot fall on the floor.

"Is this guy important?" Tanaka questioned gesturing to his golden armor and the markings on it.

Due to his connections with ONI Locke was very good at identifying alien targets. In fact this one was someone he himself wanted to kill for a long time. "General Rudo 'Vongam, commander of this fleet and part of the Exo emperor's inner circle. He was also part of the attack on Jericho VII in 2535." Locke told her with suppressed anger. This Elite was one of the aliens that glassed his home planet.

"It appears that your intelligence organization is not as lacking as we made it to be." Rudo growled.

"ONI might be full with bastards but they still get the job done. No offense Locke." Vale said as she aimed her SMG at the Elite who chuckled in amusement.

"Oh I know what kind of an organization ONI is. I know of their demon puppets and I know they can be killed." Rudo said cryptically as he took a step forward.

The Spartans aimed their weapons at him in response but then Rudo's guards deactivated their cloaking devices. Ten Elites armed with all sorts of weapons began firing at the fireteam. Rudo growled and engaged the Spartans as well.

…..

"The _Stanton_ has lost its shields and is being harassed by a battlecruiser." An ensign reported to vice admiral Connor who gritted his teeth.

"Get the _Invader_ to cover its retreat and fire archer missiles K5 to O7 at that battlecruiser." Connor ordered.

The ensign nodded and moved to fulfil his orders. Vice admiral Connor focused on the battle that seemed to go on in the middle. A lot of Seraph fighters were making their way through that part and engaged his Longswords. After fighting the imperials for some time had had learned that they preferred to send fighters in order to clear resistance that could harm their new bombers. Luckily he had a lot of point defense weapons and positioned his ships to protect each other. The only part where the bombers would do the most damage was the middle where a Halcyon-class ship was pounding the enemy vessels with MAC shots.

"What is the status of our ground forces?" Connor asked while eying the holotable.

"Our forces have successfully retaken the southern cities. They're having difficulties at the most populated and industrialized places. The imperials still hold the most important cities. Colonel Wilt has captured the industrial complex at the city of Abreburg and is about to begin the assault to capture it." A lieutenant answered showing the mentioned areas.

Connor tapped on the holographic screen to get a better look at the city. He could see the imperial defenders with their turrets and fortified positions. Many of these defenses were positioned outside of the city. The vice admiral frowned as he noticed there would be too many casualties if they attacked the imperials. By the looks of it they would break through but too slow and lose too many. He had to help them in some way but how?

Connor's eyes glinted as he realized how he could help. "Is the MAC cannon of the _Pioneer_ still active?" He questioned. The frigate had been one of the first to attack the imperial fleet and had sustained enough damage to be called back to the back of their lines. The lieutenant looked at his datapad searching for the damage report he had received earlier on.

"Most of their weapons systems are still intact including their MAC cannon sir." The officer replied with a knowing look. The vice admiral smirked and went to the comm officer.

"Send a message to colonel Wilt stating that he has to spot potential targets for orbital bombardment. He has to make sure no civilians are too close when the bombs drop." He instructed as he put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Yes sir!" The comm officer replied.

"May it help him in that hell out there." The vice admiral remarked and focused his attention on the naval battle again.

…..

"Seraph fighters headed towards us!" A pilot yelled before being struck down by plasma bolts.

Blue team ignored the chatter of the pilots as they went through their usual ritual of preparation as they sat in the Pelican. Jul 'Mdama seemed to realize he had nothing in his fleet to stop the _Infinity_ that was currently breaking through imperial lines. The two fleets were equal in size but the _Infinity_ was what gave the UNSC the upper hand in this battle. Now with 'Mdama on a CCS-class battlecruiser in orbit of the planet Mamore this was a perfect opportunity for the UNSC to board it and kill the imperial Fleetmaster. So far there had been no sign of the Exo emperor but 'Mdama was a big target himself.

"Standby for boarding procedures." The dropship's pilot announced.

Blue team stood up from their seats and grabbed their weapons along with the explosives they were going to place in certain areas. The ODSTs did the same as the Spartans and stood ready for when the ramp would open up. The Pelican flew through the hangar's entrance and quickly turned around to unload its passengers. The lights in the Pelican turned on signaling they had to go now. The Spartans were the first to step outside and within the moment they had already scanned the room for any hostiles.

It was a spacious hangar with supplies and equipment for ground forces but what struck the Spartans as odd were the rows of slumped robots. The ODSTs quickly exited the Pelican as well and spread out. The hangar was quite dark so they had to activate the flashlights in their helmets. The Pelican ascended and left the hangar as planned. The Spartans and ODSTs would leave by means of a captured vessel or another Pelican that would pick them up later.

"According to the map we should go through that door and go on for a while. We'll pass by a few gun emplacements and missile storages." The ODST sergeant said. The ODSTs began moving towards the door but the Chief held up a fist.

"Wait, something is not right." He said with a low voice. His instincts were screaming at him that something or someone was watching them. His Spartan family felt the same way if their stance was any indication.

"What was that!?" An ODST said alarmed as he looked a corner. Others looked at the place but nothing was to be found.

"Dammit Michael don't scare us like that." Another Helljumper grumbled.

"I'm sure I saw something moving in the dark." Michael muttered as he casted another glance at the corner.

He was about to say something else but suddenly four arms shot out with two of them holding knives. He tried to yell but his throat had already been slit. Without a single sound the body was dragged into the shadows.

"If you're so scared of the dark I would have brought another light Michael. Never knew you were so afraid…" One of the ODSTs trailed off as she turned around only to see nobody standing there. "Michael? You there?"

"Alright now I'm freaked out." A Helljumper said while aiming his DMR at the shadows.

Fred focused on a particular spot high on one of the pillars. He was very certain a shadow moved around there and with the disappearance of an ODST he wasn't going to take any chances.

"We're not alone." Kelly told her fellow Spartans over their internal comm.

"Stealth Elites?" Linda questioned.

"No, I saw something crawling on the ceiling and crouching behind one of those droids. Perhaps a new addition to the imperial SpecOps." Fred argued keeping his finger close to the trigger.

"Spartans, we should move up before we're picked off one by one." The sergeant proposed. He just finished up dividing the remaining nine ODSTs in three groups.

"If something is here-" The Chief began but was cut short by a yell from another ODST. The large super soldier whipped his head around with his lightning fast reflexes to see the Helljumper fall on his knees and then on the ground.

He aimed his assault rifle and fired of a volley of burst at the area behind the corpse. Most missed but one struck the unseen assassin. Its form shimmered and he could make out the shape of a four-armed creature. It hissed in pain and vanished again into the shadows. The other Spartans had seen it as well and stayed close to each other.

The ODSTs might not have been as good as Spartans but that did not mean they lacked the iron will that was required. Not a single jumper cowered but stayed focused on detecting the threat. The assassins seemed to notice the fear tactic was not as effective as they would have liked so the leader gave them new orders.

On one of the higher plateaus an invisible assassin slowly stepped forward. It raised its equally unseen rifle and targeted the sergeant. It slowed its breathing and saw only the target. Its allies did the same from their posts and waited. Time seemed to crawl by slowly as not a single sound echoed throughout the small hangar. Then the leader gave the command.

Simultaneously four bright blue rays of light pierced the darkness of the silent hangar and struck down four ODSTs. Three from each group and the ODST sergeant. Their bodies fell on the cold metal floor with a smoking hole in each head. The others acted quickly and found cover while the Spartans shot back. While Chief, Fred and Linda had long range weapons to deal with the snipers Kelly had to grab her sidearm. A few gunshots rang out before the four creatures died. One of them fell off its plateau and right in the middle of the hangar. The human eyes turned to look at the alien's corpse. Like they had seen before it had four arms and four eyes. it wore dark red armor with horns on the helmet but some sort of optics over the right eyes.

"What the hell?" One of the ODSTs whispered clarifying the thought of the jumpers.

Just as Fred wanted to say something six more aliens jumped out of the shadows with blades. They were faster than Elites and descended upon their foes with deadly precision. One of the aliens made a beeline towards Linda and swung its swords in a cross motion but Linda backed up and shot it straight in head from only arm's length away in the head.

"Put some distance between yourself and them!" The second-in-command of the ODSTs ordered while concentrating fire on an assassin that went after his group.

"More incoming!" Another one yelled as the red dots appeared on the radars.

Various aliens disengaged their cloaks and began firing plasma at the cornered ODSTs. The plasma bolts melted away the cover that the Helljumpers used but they failed to notice Fred coming from their left. When one of the aliens saw him he descended upon them with his combat knife and sidearm.

He bashed the alien's weapon away and stabbed it in the neck. Its companions then realized the danger he was and switched to him. Fred put his arm over the dying alien and used it as cover while he scored perfect headshots on the aliens. One of them charged him with a dagger and swung it at him but he predicted and countered every strike. He kicked its leg away and planted his knife straight into its skull. The four eyes widened for a moment and then the light left them, literally.

The Chief was finishing off his own share of aliens but another one attacked him when he was done. This one wore more armor and was clearly the leader. It swung its swords at him and managed to score a hit on his right leg but the Chief used its own momentum against it. When the officer made a power attack swinging the swords to the right the Chief crouched and gave the large alien an uppercut. It stumbled back dazed by the strike of the Spartan. It could feel some of its teeth coming loose and looked up to see an assault rifle aimed at its face. The Chief pulled the trigger and the alien's head was blown apart.

When the final alien was put down by the ODSTs they all gathered to check on their losses.

"We lost the sergeant along with Millers, Cage, Allison, Macgregor and Melinda. Orders sir?" The second in command of the ODSTs reported.

"Search the aliens for any intel and apply biofoam to your wound corporal." Fred ordered the ODST while the other Spartans were gathered at the corpse of the alien leader.

"Looks like it is arachnid in nature Chief. From what I can tell they're naturally agile and make no sound. No wonder they got the drop on us." Kelly said as she examined the corpse.

"They seem to use plasma technology but with that new sort of energy called Arc energy. Their equipment is a mix of standard imperial tech and probably their own." Linda added as she tinkered with the sword and guns.

"Any intel we can salvage from its helmet?" The Chief asked.

"Looking now… found it." Codes said over the internal comms. "These aliens are called Eliksni and joined the empire at the same time another species called the Cabal did. They had orders to ambush the boarding Spartan crew."

"Do you have any idea who gave these orders?" Chief further questioned.

"Yes, they came from Jul 'Mdama himself. According to the logs of the comm system he would send out a fake transmission that he was on this ship and allow us to board it." Codes answered. That was a bummer for the Spartans. Now they were on a ship with no target.

"That means all we can do here is blow it up from the inside." Kelly said with an irritated expression.

"Um Chief, the logs also tell me the ship is going to self-destruct within a certain period of time if the Eliksni Captain failed to check in. We have eight minutes left before it happens." Codes said alarmed.

"Corporal get everyone here now, we're leaving." Fred said loudly for the ODST to hear him. The corporal nodded and began gathering the remaining ODSTs.

"Codes, establish communications with admiral Lasky." Fred told the AI.

"I have him on the phone sir, go ahead." Codes said after a few seconds.

"Spartans what's going on?" Lasky asked.

"Admiral, it's a trap. Jul 'Mdama was never on the ship and we were upon landing ambushed by a new species that recently joined the empire. The ship is about to self-destruct so we'll need a quick exit." Fred told the frustrated admiral. Lasky bit back a curse as he received the news that 'Mdama escaped once again.

"Roger that Spartan there will be a Pelican picking you up immediately. It will transport you to the Infinity. The imperials have begun evacuating personnel and are about to leave." Lasky said while glancing at the imperial ships that broke off and retreated.

"Affirmative sir, blue team out." Fred said and broke the connection.

"The doors are sealed so if there were more assassins they won't get through easily." The ODST corporal reported. As he finished speaking the intercom went off.

"Intruder alert, intruder alert! Activating security forces!" The monotone voice of the ship's computer announced.

Sirens began to blare and to the ODSTs' horror the robots that had been standing around activated. If that wasn't bad enough automated turrets slid out of the ceiling and searched for hostiles. The Frames grabbed their weapons and targeted the human lifeforms. Before either turrets or Frames could fire the Spartans and ODSTs struck first.

Linda prioritized the turrets since she had the best long range skills while the other Spartans went after the droids.

The Chief punched a Frame straight in the mechanical eye obliterating the circuitry. He grabbed the remains and threw them at a duo of Frames that did not bother dodging. He used his rifle to eradicate the Frames that stood together in a line while shooting at him. One of the Frames equipped with a scout rifle got a hit on the Chief who felt the intense heat of the laser bolt. He shot back out of reflex and watched the droid crumble as the bullets pierced its chassis and showed the damaged internal machinery.

"These droids aren't smart. We can use this to our advantage." Fred said over the internal comm.

True to his words the ODSTs began to outsmart the Frames by leading them out into the open. So far only one ODST had been wounded with another one dead, a smoking mess where his head used to be, but the problem was the waves of Frames that attacked them. The few automated defenses of the ship that were still operational were also forcing them into cover. The Frames equipped with the machine guns gathered and formed a line standing on the higher ground. Together they began giving cover fire for the advancing droids.

Kelly saw an opening and sprinted forward towards the sidelines with her shotgun ready. A squad of Frames jogged forward and took positions in front of her and started shooting at her in the hope of stopping her. Using her fast reflexes and superior speed she dodged each laser bolt coming from the auto rifles. The first shotgun shell blew the first Frame's chassis apart. She then kicked the next one in the waist doubling it over. A Frame opened fire on her but when she crouched the laser bolts hit a fellow Frame. It's plating melted under the extreme heat and the circuitry burned away. Kelly jumped on the still toppled over Frame proved to be excellent support to reach the next plateau. While in midair she left a frag grenade to deal with the remaining droids. Just as she landed the grenade went off sending a Frame's ripped off head into the air. Kelly sprinted off again but kicked the head straight into a Frame on the lower level making it stumble.

"They're with too much! I'm running out of ammo!" An ODST yelled in waring as he reloaded his battle rifle. He cursed as he noticed he had only one ammo mag left. From his position the ODST saw a pulse rifle on the ground close to a Frame's corpse.

"More droids inbound. Miller try to take those two on the right down." Another ODST said from a position at a crate while firing her assault rifle.

"Give me a second!" Miller said and ran towards the rifle.

The droids noticed him and fired at him. The laser volley hit his armor but the shields held out. Miller hissed as he could feel the heat seeping through his armor. He quickly slid the rest of the way and grabbed the pulse rifle. Then he took cover behind a pillar and noticed the weapon was quite similar to human weaponry but shrugged it off.

"Watch this!" He yelled in excitement and aimed at a Frame.

Just as Miller pulled the trigger the weapon made a beeping noise. Within the second the weapon exploded in Miller's face. He shouted in pain and surprise before falling on the ground. His fellow ODST shouted out to him but they saw he didn't move anymore. The faceplate of Miller's helmet had melted away and was now black from the scorching effect the explosion had.

"Don't touch their weapons unless you want to die!" The ODST corporal warned.

"Self-destruct in two minutes, all personnel evacuate the ship." The ship's computer announced.

"Where is our way out!?" An ODST yelled in alarm and panic.

"Keep on fighting, we'll be leaving shortly." Fred said in an attempt to quell the rising panic.

"Sierra-104 this is Pelican 056, we are inbound on your position. Prepare for extraction." The pilot of their escape vessel said over the comms. Fred was quick to acknowledge.

"Understood 056, we'll be waiting. Be advised there are a lot of hostiles inside the hangar." Fred answered while throwing his last grenade. The device destroyed another Frame squad put it was immediately replaced with another one.

"Agh!" The ODST next to Fred said as he was struck in the chest by a Frame sniper.

The sniper was silenced within moments by Linda. She was about to reload but saw a rocket coming her way. Linda jumped off her little sniping spot and ran towards the small fortification that was established. Kelly, who had been ravaging the Frame ranks with great results, rejoined the rest of what remained of their assault force as well and aided the wounded.

"Pelican inbound." The pilot of the transport announced as it flew inside the hangar. It fired its MG at the hordes of droids while opening the boarding ramp so the ODSTs and Spartans could enter. A marine medic stood at the ramp and waved at them to hurry inside.

"Move quickly!" She yelled and helped carrying a wounded helljumper inside.

The Chief went straight towards the cockpit of the Pelican and noticed the concentrated fire of the Frames aimed at the Pelican. The Frames proved to be the mindless droids they were designed to be as they all went after the Pelican without any regard of caution. As they were mowed down they managed to hit the Pelican a good amount of times as its armor melted under the intense heat of the laser bolts.

"Everyone is inside, punch it!" The medic yelled over the comms as the ramp closed.

"Roger that we're leaving." The pilot calmly answered and moved the Pelican around while dodging the Frame firepower.

The engines of the Pelican roared as it sped off carrying the battered up Helljumpers and Spartans. It didn't take long before the cruiser self-destructed. It went up in bright fireball and fell apart. The soldiers aboard the Pelican tried to calm down and relax as the fact that they escaped their doom with only a few seconds. The Spartans only though about a few things.

First thing was the tactic employed. It was clearly meant to kill the hitmen that would go after 'Mdama. The empire was far from stupid. They probably knew from the start that the Spartans would be deployed for this particular task. Seeing the importance of 'Mdama they most likely guessed that the IIs would be assigned.

The second subject were the new species that joined the empire. They had fought Grunts, Jackals, Elites, Brutes, Drones, Hunters and even Engineers before in the days of the Covenant. Now the Galactic Empire had risen from its ashes with new soldiers. Now they had a mechanical race called the Vex that could spawn at any moment. The Prometheans were familiar but now they were a definite threat with their allegiance to the empire. If this wasn't bad enough there were fast and deadly assassin-like aliens serving the empire along with another race called the Cabal.

The third interest were the new droids the empire used. They were easily deployed in large numbers and a threat if fought alongside other imperials. They lacked tactical insight which was an advantage on them. If they could eliminate the commanders it would be less difficult to deal with the threat. However, knowing the empire improvements and other types would be fabricated. The fact that their weapons exploded when used by non-droids was disturbing to say the least and knowledge of it would have to be spread as fast as possible.

The four Spartans of the famous blue team all nodded at each other in agreement. They had to make sure this intel made its way to admiral Lasky.

…..

Aboard vice-admiral Connor's ship sirens blared as a battlecruiser fired away at its hull. Said naval commander growled at the situation they were in. To put it lightly they were royally screwed if no one came to help them.

"Status report!" He said loudly with his most authoritative voice he could muster.

"The MAC cannon is offline and multiple turrets have been disabled by the enemy." The weapons CO answered.

"We lost hangar 5 and have hull breaches on deck twelve." An ensign said while typing furiously at the console.

"The _Lincoln II_ is moving in to aid us vice-admiral." The comm officer reported hastily.

"We're going to need reinforcements or a miracle if we want to survive this battle sir." The lieutenant argued eying the carnage going on in space.

"And where will we get those then? The nearest UNSC base with ships to help us would be too late." Connor shot back.

"I'm getting a signal from an unknown ship sir!" The sensory officer reported with a frown. Connor left the holotable and went to the crewmember's post. "Wait they have an UNSC ID tag. It reads _Stargazer_ sir."

Connor frowned and looked out of the viewports as a slipspace portal opened up. The vessel that came out of it shocked everyone to the core. It was a clearly a human ship but the way it was shaped showed it was a mix of human and Covenant design. The ship was also as big as a supercarrier used by the imperials. The entire bridge had gone quiet upon the arrival of the new ship. Not a few moments later multiple human ships acting as escorts arrived as well. It was as if the entire battlefield had gone silent as the large ship maneuvered itself so the bow was directed at an imperial heavy cruiser. A bright blue energy ball began to appear at the nose of the vessel and in a spectacular display shot forward. The beam of blue energy hit the heavy cruiser and tore through it like a hot knife through butter. The ship ignited and fell apart in many burning pieces.

"Holy shit…" The ensign next to Connor muttered.

"Vice-admiral, we're being hailed by the _Stargazer_." The comm officer announced.

Connor tore himself away from the viewport and went to the comm officer that had called him. "Everyone back to winning this battle!" He ordered and was satisfied by the renewed efforts of the crew.

"This is captain Robin Stanley of ONI section three. Vice-admiral Connor, we have been sent to reinforce you with the new sentinel-class destroyer. As we just demonstrated it has a new weapon called the Sentinel Plasma Eraser or SPE in short." A middle-aged man introduced himself and the weapon.

"I'm not even going to ask about the details. I'm just grateful you got here and will help us. The enemy flagship is still boarded by our marines so refrain from firing your weapon at it. I need you to reinforce our left flank." Connor said with a weary but grateful look plastered on his face.

"Roger that, _Stargazer_ out." The captain answered and cut the transmission.

"Looks like we'll make a chance after all huh." The lieutenant sighed.

Connor shot a bemused look at the officer. "Don't we always?"

…..

"Incoming!"

A plasma round coming from a Wraith hit the little coffee shop that stood alone inside the park of Abreburg. The UEG forces and imperials were locked in a deadly battle at the park with no side giving ground. The imperial fortifications did their job in holding off the UEG rangers with plasma mortars, turrets, cannons and guns.

"Brutes on our left!" Yelled a ranger as a squad of Jiralhanae charged them with bestial roars.

The closest Warthog turned its turret and began mowing the Brutes down. One by one the suicidal ape-like creatures fell with holes in their bodies. The lone Minor that was left gave one last cry and jumped on the vehicle. It grabbed the two spike grenades carried with him and armed them. The gunner drew his pistol so he could shoot the Brute in the head. He holstered the weapon after the deed but then noticed the grenades. They went off and blew the car apart.

"We need air support or we're not getting anywhere…" A ranger grumbled while shooting at the Elites behind a barrier.

"Get me that rocket launcher quickly." Another one said.

The man's companion handed the weapon over as told. The ranger crawled a bit over the dirt that acted as cover and carefully aimed at a plasma turret position. Sweat rolled down the man's face as another plasma bolt hit the soil close to him. He ignored it and pulled the trigger. The rocket soared out of the weapon and went straight for the plasma turret. It was a direct hit on the machine as it blew up and the imperials too close to it.

"Good job Matthews, squad move up to that hole over there." The squad leader ordered. As one the rangers moved forward with the utmost caution. They made it safely to the spot and laid low while grenades flew over their heads.

"Another inch of the city for us mates." The heavy gunner quipped.

"Ah shut it and get ready to shoot the imps." The leader said annoyed.

"Artillery strike incoming!" Someone announced over the comms.

Human shells began pounding the park with most of it hitting the imperial fortifications. Alien body parts were thrown everywhere. A straying shell unfortunately hit a Warthog causing it to be put out of commission. Shrapnel flew around hitting some of the soldiers. The medics hurried to help the rangers that were crying out in pain and agony. When the artillery barrage died out the battlefield stayed silent for some time. Most of the organics in the park were still dazed due to the loud noise of the barrage. Only the few automatics were still busy fighting such as the Frames.

When the smoke died out the rangers cheered as they saw that the imperials had lost at least half of their defenses and forces. The imperials gathered the wounded and began pulling back. The human officer in charge laughed and gave the order to move on.

"Wait do you hear that?" Someone asked with a frown while trying to focus on a particular sound.

The rest of his compatriots halted in their footsteps as well. Indeed there was a strange sound that became louder by the second. One of the few marines widened his eyes in realization. He had heard that sound before at the industrial complexes.

"Find cover quickly! We've got tanks inbound!" He yelled in panic.

True to his words the retreating imperials made way for the column of Panzers that drove forward on the broad street that connected the park to the city hall. The tanks came in a total number of eight along with a whole bunch of Frames. It was a standard formation with the Panzers driving forward in pairs of two while the Frames walked between them in a 5x5 formation.

When the front Panzers reached firing range they used their plasma cannons to eradicate the human armor that was moving up. The forward plasma guns opened fire as well unleashing deadly bolts of plasma. The Jackal behind the weapon grinned as he gunned down the rangers that pulled back to their lines. The Panzer's cannon tilted to the left and fired hitting a Cougar in its side. The plasma melted the armor upon impact and went through. The intense heat seeped throughout the vehicle and ignited its fuel. It stood no chance against the new heavy tank of the Imperials.

The imperial counter force reached the end of the street and began to spread out. The Frames stayed behind the tanks at first but once all of the Panzers were ready and moved forward to the frightened the human soldiers they too spread out. The storm of laser and plasma bolts was devastating since the rangers had been moving forward and leaving their fortifications in the process.

As the commander of the rangers jumped behind the wreckage of a Cougar he dryly noticed they were back to square one. He looked up at the sky and saw a Hornet fighting a Banshee. The pilot's missiles successfully destroyed the air vehicle but the arrival of a Phantom chased the Hornet away.

Something told him this battle was going to a while…

…..

"Stay still dammit…" Buck grumbled as the Psion he was aiming at once again sprinted away. It made the mistake of stopping for a moment to change direction and received a plasma bolt to the head. A courtesy of Buck's confiscated carbine.

Tanaka just reloaded and jumped out of cover. She pulled the trigger and forced the Cabal to find cover. "Take that you space turtles." She said as another Legionary fell lifelessly on the floor.

"How are we going to get through them so we can help Locke?" Vale asked while throwing her last grenade at the Legionaries that tried to escape it.

"It's Locke, why would he need help with some Elite?" Buck questioned not understanding Vale's concern. As far as he was concerned they needed some help with the large amount of new imperials. They had been trying to reach the Spartans and those soldiers with the shields were making some good progress.

"Because it isn't just 'some' Elite. The guy Locke is fighting is called Rudo 'Vongam like he told us. If what I know is correct this guy was famous among the Covenant's ranks for killing multiple Spartans." Vale clarified.

Buck fell silent and then nodded. "That's not good." He agreed.

"We won't be helping them if we're not going to get past them so I'm open for suggestions." Tanaka interjected taking cover from a duo of Psions shooting at her. The smaller Cabal were fast and went from one place to the other.

Buck threw his head back and noticed a Dusk bomber hanging at the ceiling. It was being held up by metal arms and quite conveniently placed above the Cabal. He looked around and noticed a terminal that had to act as the switch for those clasps. It was on his left and just a small distance away from their position.

"I have a plan." He said with determination.

Tanaka rose and eyebrow behind her visor and looked at him. "I hope it doesn't involve me getting shot."

"Of course not," He said, then looked at Vale and added "but she will."

"Excuse me?" Vale said with a frown as another grenade blast from the Cabal threw a few crates away. Tanaka quickly fired again at the Cabal showing them they weren't giving up.

"You see that terminal right? It should unlock that bomber hanging at the ceiling and drop it right on those space turtles. Since Tanaka is slow with that heavy armor," Buck explained gaining an indignant 'hey' from his team mate. "I'm too young to die yet and you're the fastest one it is only logical for you to go."

"When we get out of here I'm going to kick your ass." Vale growled but got ready to sprint off.

"We'll cover you so don't sweat it." Buck said charmingly.

"Ready? Three, two, one, now!" Tanaka counted down and simultaneously she and Buck opened fire on the Cabal.

Vale ran off into the open. The Cabal saw her running so they prioritized her and opened fire as well. A Cabal soldier carefully aimed his gun only to get shot down by Buck. A Centurion walked forward and began barraging Vale with his projection rifle. The grenade blasts forced Vale to dodge the incoming explosives. The Centurion thought he would get her easily but was surprised by the sheer grace the nimble Spartan possessed. Like a professional dancer she went around each explosion frustrating the Cabal. The Centurion aimed again but his shields finally failed under the constant stream of fire coming from Tanaka. With a snarl the officer took cover to regain his shields.

Vale finally made it to the console and with her vast knowledge deciphered the symbols on the display. She quickly accessed it and pressed on the release button. The command was sent to the metal arms that immediately released the bomber from above. The Centurion came back into view only to look up and see a plane fall on him and his men. The impact made the hangar shake and things fell on the ground such as crates. The Cabal were crushed by the heavy Dusk with only a few of the Cabal surviving.

"Let's go!" Tanaka said and hopped over her cover to attack the Cabal.

Buck and Vale followed her so they could finally help their fireteam leader.

Said Spartan IV was busy dueling with Rudo and both were locked in an intense fight. Locke did his best to stay away from Rudo who was clearly a master swordsman. The general was not as easy to deal with as Locke had originally hoped. The cuts on his armor were proof of that fact.

"As much as this fight is enjoyable I am getting annoyed with you demon. Let us finish this." Rudo growled at Locke as his mandibles clicked in agitation. He still had a battle to supervise after all, even if Er-Murazor was able to handle most things.

"My words exactly." Locke told the general coldly.

The Sangheili roared and dashed forward. Locke opened fire on him with a plasma rifle but the general was far more agile than the average soldier. Rudo reached Locke just before his shields gave out but Locke could not get a clear shot due to the slashes Rudo made. He swung his sword diagonally and Locke had to jump back but Rudo anticipated it and kicked him in the chest. Locke gasped for breath as the armored hoof made contact with him. He slid back but didn't fall and simply recovered from the hit.

Rudo made for a quick stab but Locke evaded in time and punched the general in the mandibles. Rudo staggered back and spat out some blood. He glared at the Spartan and went for him again. This time he made a feint and managed to hit Locke's shoulder. A large cut was made in the armor and Locke could feel it had grazed his flesh. It stung painfully but Locke pushed away the pain and pulled out his combat knife. Rudo came at him again but while Locke dodged again this time he also cut the general's arm. Blood began to seep out of the wound making Rudo even angrier.

Rudo went for the second sword hanging on his belt and activated it. As he charged he held the swords in X-form before bring them down on Locke. The Spartan proved to be nimble but the continuous attacks from Rudo hit him on various places such as his left forearm and his right leg. Locke searched for an opening but Rudo kept pressing on the advantage. Locke's team came to help him and acted on that instance. He jumped behind a crate as Rudo actually slashed at it but then the sound of guns made him stop. The other Spartans started firing at him forcing him to escape.

Rudo rolled away and ran towards proper cover namely the wing of the Dusk bomber. He grabbed the projection rifle of the squashed Centurion and fired the explosive rounds at his adversaries. One of the blasts got Tanaka knocking her against the wall harshly. Buck quickly ran towards her to check if she was okay while the rest kept on firing at the pinned down general.

"Vale, get inside the Pelican and start it up. We're going to make an exit now!" Locke ordered his subordinate.

"Got it Locke." She answered and ran away into the Pelican.

Once inside she sat down in the pilot seat and went through the necessary procedures to start the transport up. Vale knew how to pilot most vehicles from human design to that of the Covenant. The engine of the Pelican activated making the thrusters on the wings vibrate before activating as well. Buck came inside as well after Locke ordered him to retrieve the unconscious Tanaka.

Locke gritted his teeth in pain as his shoulder started acting up again. It was clear he needed some real medical help soon. His eyes focused on the image of Rudo causing him to snarl. The Elite would pay for what he did to him, his team, Harvest and every other planet he had attacked including his home planet. Locke fell on the floor as another explosive blast knocked him off his feet. He groaned but widened his eyes as he saw that the fallen crate beside him contained plasma grenades.

He grabbed two of the grenades and crouched. He looked at the general standing behind the wing of the bomber with the missile pods. With a feral grin he primed the grenades while standing up. He threw the grenades and ran towards the Pelican. Rudo saw the grenades land on the missile pods and blanched. Even if he ran away the blast would be so great with his death as a result.

Rudo closed his eyes and let the weapon drop on the ground. It was as if everything went in slow-motion now. He idly chuckled at the way he would come to his end. He never expected to die like this. His imagination had always conjured the image of him dying on a battlefield beside his fellow warriors. His thoughts drifted towards the moments of his life as he realized they were his last.

He remembered his days as a youngling at his family's keep. One of the few keeps on a colony of the Sangheilis. His training with his fellow warriors to fight for the Great Journey. Honestly he had only believed in the Forerunners but never in a 'Great Journey'. He had only fought in the war because what other choice did he have? He would have never met many of his friends though if he hadn't fought. The parents of Reya for example.

Oh gods… Reya would be left alone if he died now. As soon as that thought entered his mind he banished it. She had only him before Soundwave came along. When the ancient mechanical Forerunner came in their lives he felt hope again. Hope that assured him Reya would have a proper future. No longer fighting humans because their keep was loyal to the Covenant but because they had to protect their empire. Rudo 'Vongam was not a true believer but if there as one thing he believed in it was Soundwave. He believed in the golden age that his emperor would bring. If dying was necessary for this to be realized he would do it over and over again.

Reya had Soundwave, Ghost, Tipo, Timo, Diablo and many others now. He was no longer her only family. They had been alone but no longer. They had a family now.

Rudo opened his eyes and his mandibles formed the equivalent of a Sangheili smile. The Pelican had just left the hangar but as it went away he could see multiple slipspace rifts closing. Many imperial ships were going forward to help their brothers and sisters in their time of need. Rudo did not have to ask, he knew Soundwave and Reya were there. He could feel it in his two hearts.

His mind was at peace. No matter what happened to him, he could say he was proud of them. Proud that he had been able to stand at their side.

The plasma grenades went off. Their heat and fire melted away at the missile pods and ignited the explosive weapons. The entire wing imploded with the bomber following soon. Rudo felt the fire eat way at him. He felt his body been tossed aside as a ragdoll. He felt intense pain for a moment. A moment of pure agony.

Then he felt nothing but a soothing feeling. There was no darkness. There was only a white light enveloping him. Rudo felt so peaceful as the light appeared to embrace him.

If he was able to he would have chuckled because he knew that somehow Soundwave was here with him. Rudo dozed away as the divine light washed over him.

Then he knew nothing.

…..

Soundwave stood at the viewport of the ship he was on and frowned at the sight before him. The battle was at a stalemate. Even with the arrival of the secret human weapon the imperials held out. His mind went over possible actions to fight his enemy. No matter where he went he would always be reminded of his purpose when he was working as a guardian. Battle was a constant factor in his life.

Suddenly his mind shut down the battle plans he was making. He fell on one knee and grasped at his chest where his electrical heart resided. The Light in him was sad, so sad and crying in anguish. Soundwave knew what this was. The motes of Light he had secretly planted in Rudo to protect him were being torn apart. This would only mean one thing. Rudo was either heavily injured or…

Or he was dead.

Soundwave looked up to see Ghost and Reya looking at him. The latter's eyes were filled with concern and confusion but the former's lone eye told him enough.

"We need to get to Rudo know!" He yelled urgently as he stood up and ran towards the exit of the bridge.

He had to reach a transport fast or he would be too late. He couldn't let Rudo down now. If there was the slightest chance of Rudo surviving whatever happened to him he had to take it. So he ran as fast as his mechanical legs could.

He had to make it in time or he would never forgive himself.


	9. Chapter 9

"And that is what happened at the space station around Mars. The accident claimed four lives and twenty were wounded of which three in critical condition." A news reporter on a human television post finished.

"Thank you for this report David, our thoughts are with the families of the victims that suffered at the hands of the transport crash." The news host said before turning his attention back to the viewers. "And know we'll have the military news with Oscar Burns."

Another man came in view who politely nodded to the host. "Thank you Rogers."

"Yesterday the UNSC scored a great victory against the Galactic Empire by successfully breaking the blockade around Arcadia and landing troops to begin pushing the imperials back. The fleet under command of admiral Lasky sustained minor casualties and damage while the imperials lost a great many more. Part of this success is thanks to the presence of the UNSC's flagship the _Infinity_ and of course the admiral's brilliant tactics. With those two factors added to the finest the navy has to offer we won the battle with less effort than expected. We were unable to have any video recordings of what is going on at the moment on the planet. All we know is that the imperials are putting up a heavy resistance but they are expected to give up soon enough." Burns said calmly with a neutral tone.

"While we gained a great victory I'm afraid I also have to report something far more negative. The battle that has been raging on for almost a week now at Mamore is turning out to be more and more less in our favor. The imperial presence on the now rebel planet is heavier than UNSC command had expected. Part of this is to blame on the insurgent government that only ten days ago announced its alliance with the Galactic Empire. Due to the lightening warfare tactic employed by the empire at the start of the war the insurgents were allowed to gain more foothold with the UNSC being distracted. It is always terrible to hear that our own kind joined forces with an enemy bend on our annihilation but I digress. As things are at the moment the siege of Mamore will go on for quite some time unless we have a major breakthrough." The man continued on. Viewers at home frowned and cursed at the insurgent groups that sided with the empire at the start of the war.

"We actually got some footage of an engagement on Mamore between UNSC marines and imperial forces. We would like to warn our viewers that it contains some very sensitive content. Our younger viewers are specifically advised not to watch." The reporter on military matters warned.

The clip that came to life showed it had been recorded through the helmet camera of a marine. It was slightly unclear but clear enough to give a very good show of what the marine went through. The marine appeared to be firing from behind a wall in some desert village. Most of the constructions that came on the screen were reduced to rubble or were missing chunks of walls. Smoke was rising on various spots and added to the usual image of a war-torn location. The sound was partially muted but people could hear the gunfire, explosions and shouts. Without warning a plasma mortar round struck the open area in front of the wall as it threw sand and soil everywhere. When the dust cleared some people watching gasped in surprise.

From the other side of the open area that could now be identified as a market square various imperial soldiers came charging forward. Elites were easily recognized as they gave their typical war cries and fired their plasma rifles. A pair of Hunters came walking forward as well with fuel rod guns charging up. The two explosive rounds struck a marine position as the camera was turned to it. it struck the fortified position hard and reduced it to nothing. The two marines that had been crouching there were thrown backwards with enough force to make them fly through the air. When they landed they did not move a muscle anymore.

Seemingly out of nowhere a Warthog drove forward with the gunner mowing down the Elites. The marine with the camera directed his sight to the dying Elites as they gave their final war cries before falling silent. The Hunters roared and charged their fuel rod guns again while pointing them at the unsuspecting Warthog. The marine appeared to be shouting out to warn them but it was too late for the Warthog's crew. The deadly radioactive weapon tore the vehicle apart with ease and the occupants along with it.

The marine with the camera whipped his head around to come face to face with an Elite Major who then stabbed the marine with an energy dagger. The weapon lodged itself right in the marine's chest as he cried out in pain. The marine's head slumped with the camera following suit before the body was thrown on the ground. The slumped camera kept on recording the battle as more marines came in driving the imperials back. The video the abruptly halted leaving a speechless public. Not a single soul sitting at home, a pub or anywhere else didn't feel sorry for the poor marine that had been gutted by the larger alien.

"May they find peace in the afterlife." The reporter said silently but professional before picking up where he left off.

"So far there have been some minor engagements but the UNSC says that we should expect another large attack soon. They do not underestimate the threat the dictatorship of the Exo emperor poses. They are still standing strong and what happened with the Covenant has not yet occurred. Humanity is still standing strong even in the face of a long war. People from all outer colonies to our home planet Earth are encouraged to join the navy, army or air force. Even the smallest job can change the outcome of a battle." The reporter said while encouraging the viewers. The camera focused once again on the host after the small news bundle.

"Thank you Oscar for this enlightening report. Diplomatic ties with the Sangheili have…" The host droned on but some young people weren't listening anymore. All they could think of was the thought of doing their part in the fight.

…..

-Autopsy report on the new allies of the Galactic Empire by doctor Hartfield-

While the recovered bodies of the new aliens that were introduced to humanity were in bad condition my team and I were able to find out some very interesting facts about them. I have taken the liberty to add everything we know of them from intercepted communications and behavior on the battlefield.

My first subject will be the rhino/turtle-like creatures known as 'the Cabal'. Investigation has answered the question about the possibility of them being experimented Jiralhanae in new armor. Our tests made it very clear that we are dealing with a new species. The Cabal are not only large but they have the strength to back their reputation as family of Jiralhanae up, even if they are not related. With their large mass they are indeed able to throw even a Warthog away if angered. Their mass also allows them to shake the ground if they are some of the largest variants of their race.

We can now properly put them in various ranks and have completed a full identity list.

Legionary: the basic soldier of the Cabal. Propelled by jump packs and wielding powerful slug rifles, Legionaries are the Cabal's line infantry and the backbone of their military power on the ground. Common Legionary tactics center on the bounding advance - some units attack the target while others close the range or find new firing positions.

Phalanx: Legionaries chosen to be the ones equipped with shields, most of them are physically stronger making them the best choice for the job. Phalanx soldiers carry massive shields, used for both attack and defense. While this protection is nearly impenetrable, clever opponents can bait the Phalanx or sneak shots around the shield.

Centurion: the standard Cabal officer and leader of a unit. As far as we know they are the Cabal with both strength _and_ intelligence. Autopsy on the brains show clearly that the Centurions are naturally smarter than the average Cabal. Centurions are tactically intelligent, highly skilled field commanders. Their armor boasts a formidable array of combat electronics and deployable munitions.

Psion: the human-sized subspecies of the Cabal. Psions are smaller than all other Cabal morphs, and may be an unrelated species. Hyper-intelligent, fast and unpredictable, they possess strong psionic capabilities - including the ability to emit disorienting and deadly psychokinetic Arc blasts.

Colossus: the most dangerous Cabal soldier that we know of. Towering over other Cabal, equipped with rapid-firing heavy weapons and nearly impenetrable armor, the Colossus is the most devastating heavy infantry unit in the Cabal order of battle.

If there is one thing we have little doubt of it is that the Cabal value strength and military honor. Saying that they have the body of a Brute but the mind of an Elite is actually a very good description of the Cabal.

Next up is the insectoid race mentioned in imperial transmissions as the Eliksni. They are an arachnid-like species with a natural build for agility. While they are not that much physically stronger than us humans they possess a nimbleness and speed that would put our top athletes to shame. The Eliksni have four arms with each sporting claws making it child's play to scale any obstacle. It is because of this fact that they excel at stealth and assassination, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the empire. Another interesting thing about the Eliksni is their food supply namely ether which is apparently produced by the large mechanical orbs called Servitors. Eliksni excel in space combat due to their natural infinity to the vacuum of space. They are even able to survive in space for a short amount of time without any protective gear.

The list of Eliksni has been added with the mechanical threats as well.

Shank: the known drone that accompanies the Eliksni. Shanks appear to be the bulldogs of the Fallen. Small and tough enough to go where Dregs won't fit, they scout, keep watch, and patrol.

Dreg: the Eliksni variant with two arms. They seem to act as supportive soldiers and from what we've learned they are the lowest ranked members of their society.

Vandal: the Eliksni type with four arms and around the height of a Dreg. Soldiers, brawlers, assassins, and scouts, Vandals are the seasoned regulars who fill out the skilled roles within a Fallen crew. Whether from distance or up close and personal, they are seasoned, efficient killers, with an arsenal of weaponry and tech to match their bloodlust.

Captain: the officer type of the race which is taller than the Dregs or Vandal. The Captain is the strongest and most ferocious member of the crew he musters around himself.

Servitor: the purple mechanical orbs filling a considerable amount of roles in the Eliksni's day to day life. Packed with ultra-sophisticated machinery, they process matter and energy into the Ether that the Fallen depend on for life. In battle they support the Fallen with defensive systems and their own powerful energy weapons. Outside, they anchor Fallen comms and provide vital technological acumen. They may play a key role in Fallen star flight.

Of course we also have news on the first new race to join the empire namely the Vex.

I have to admit that our knowledge on the Vex is severely limited. Their bodies are made out of an unknown alloy, we even checked Forerunner knowledge but found nothing, that seems to be unique to the Vex. They are linked by a network unlike any on Earth, they operate in unison, directed by a single unfathomable purpose. Living metal and incomprehensible intelligence. Those two things define the Vex.

The ID list is made up out of these categories.

Goblin: the cone-headed Vex that appears to be most present Vex unit. The Goblin is the basic unit in the vast computational network that is the Vex. Shattering the large, fan-shaped head does not seem to cause lasting damage but sends the Goblin into a crackling frenzy.

Hobgoblin: the Vex support unit. Specialized for sniping, this lean, tough Vex model is fitted with improved optics and acute sensors in its horns. Like the Goblin, the Hobgoblin contains a milky radiolarian fluid. Attacking a Hobgoblin often triggers a defensive reflex - the Hobgoblin seals itself in stasis and waits for help.

Harpy: the triangular Vex aerial unit. The fastest and most mobile Vex, the Harpy is an airborne unit often deployed in flocks on patrols and scouting missions.

Minotaur: the large destructive bruiser Vex unit. Minotaur models are thicker and harder to crack than any other bipedal Vex, and they use their teleportation capability aggressively.

Hydra: the rarely seen tank Vex unit. The Hydra is a miniature fortress. Despite its physical slowness, it is a rapid processor of the data fed to it by other Vex, and what it lacks in mobility it makes up for in impregnable defenses and rock-melting firepower.

These three races are still shrouded in mystery but as time passes we hope we will learn more about them.

…..

-New Sentinel-class heavy cruiser-

UNSC scientists and engineers created the new heavy cruiser alongside Sangheili and friendly Huragok. The design of the ship can be traced back to the CAS assault carrier. The ship has some noticeably human architecture in it but also Forerunner.

Construction began six months after the peace agreement between human and Sangheili separatists factions. The ship has a plasma beam projector in front of the ship similar to a MAC cannon. Using the beam weaponry of the Forerunner sentinels and monitors the ship is a devastating weapon.

Due to the power required it has weaker shields and secondary weapons than the standard CAS assault carrier.

…..

To: Director of ONI section One

From: Captain Stryker

ID tag: BN45-85

Subject: Intelligence report on 51 Pegasi system

Director,

Listening posts close to the 51 Pegasi system have intercepted a communication transfer concerning the resources of the empire. As you know the system is full with minerals and other resources such as fuel. All of this is currently under the control of the Galactic Empire along with said system. The Covenant was in control of the system in the past but after the downfall it was divided between multiple factions of the Covenant. When the empire came to power and united most factions it came in full possession of the 51 Pegasi system.

The transmission our facility managed to partially intercept was full with lists of requisition forms along with lists of supplies. At first we dismissed it as a normal communication about resource transports but when we further investigated we made quite the discovery. Upon further inspection we found out that there was quite the demand for the minerals necessary for construction of spaceships. To be more specific the CAS-class. I requested reports of battles raging on at the fronts and linked the demand with the lack of CAS-class ships appearing in naval battles. It is no secret that due to the Covenant downfall and the wars between its factions a great deal of equipment was lost.

To further validate my claims I will tell you about a particular transmission. This one was sent to the commander of the mining operations by no one else but imperial minister of production Tipo Devian. The Unggoy minister sent a message concerning the need of materials but in one certain sentence he mentioned a place called the Mustafar system. From what we understand it is a possible uncharted system under imperial control playing a major role in the resource department of the empire.

Upon discovery of all of this I was authorized to send out a Prowler towards the 51 Pegasi system. The ship was able to scan the contents of the cargo hold from an imperial transport and the results were very interesting. All we could make out of the cargo was that they were canisters full with some sort of energy. Nothing in our databanks matched it from what we know of. Of course from the time of the Covenant. After investigation we found out the energy is comparable to that of the empire's new missiles used in naval battles. Scraps of this energy has been previously found in other intercepted transmissions. All of it comes back to one thing namely a newfound energy type called Void energy.

We can deduce out of this that the empire is creating this somehow in the 51 Pegasi system. How and where exactly still eludes us but it is possible we would learn more if we raided the system in the future. We will continue to observe and listen for any further intel while we await your response.

-END MESSAGE-

…..

Soundwave stared out of the window at his desk in silence. He was all alone for the moment. The memories came mostly at such times. When he finally recollected his memories he had pushed them away for some time but now and then he remembered.

Soundwave often thought about those he fought with during his days as a guardian working for the Vanguard. He and his fellow teammates were part of a special branch similar to the Spartans. Special projects.

He didn't want to remember everything. Project Dark Light was something he wanted to forget. The atrocities he and his team were responsible for. The golden age tech that allowed him to interface with an organic's brain waves was installed in him like so many other tech. That was his experiment. To better the Last City's military power.

What a load of bullshit.

They were nothing but partly successful experiments. The fact that they were rejects had helped the researchers. No one would miss them.

There were five more. Five more guardian misfits like him who had been used and discarded. A suicide mission could easily cover up their existence. No problems for the city council nor the Vanguard.

Soundwave saw their faces in front of him. The glass reflected them and sometimes he wished he could step in the glass and join them once more.

There was little Sam. The young human teenager Hunter full with energy and excitement. Eager to help. Eager to protect. Eager to die in a way. After losing everyone she had she clung to their band of freaks as if they were family. Soundwave wouldn't have admitted it before the Vault but he shared the sentiment.

She loved her armor with heart and soul as she stated many times. Her Spektar armor with soft glowing blue chroma glow. The only real difference was the exotic Knucklehead Radar helmet.

She was short but her tan skin and blond hair always gave off an exotic air. Her caramel eyes shone brightly when they played a game together. She always favored close quarters which explained her choice in being a bladedancer. She almost danced when using her abilities. She also kept on using that old Badger Col scout rifle she began with. It still warmed his heart that she refused to part ways with her Tao Hua Yuan sniper rifle. A present from him to her. She never used a heavy weapon since she found them to be too loud.

The experiment on her changed her molecular structure. She could effectively go without food, water or sleep. The only downside and reason the experiment was thrown away was the inability to know what food tasted like and her dreams were lost as well. The depression she had for days was painful for him as well.

But most of all, she was his little sister.

If he were able to he would shed a tear. He could see her in the glass smiling at him.

Then there was the fellow Titan. Using all subclasses as well the fellow Exo was strong in a battle like him.

The Commando Type 0 chest armor, Spearhead Type 0 helmet and leg armor along with the exotic Ruin Wings gauntlets were scarred. All colored grey. The stance of the Titan also showed the Exo was not new to battle. The Thunderlord machine gun at the ready and the Immobius shotgun strapped to the back.

Yeah he also missed Blitz. The crazy Exo with a jack-o-lantern face and crimson eyes was a good friend.

Too bad the experiment he was involved in merged three Exo minds into one nutcase.

He also missed Cassandra. The old Awoken Warlock lady in emerald Stormcaller outfit was like a mother in the group. Her blue eyes showed youth despite her wrinkled yet kind visage. No one really knew what the scientists did to her. Only that she swore to make amends after she snapped during the psychological experiment.

But then there was this one human Warlock he despised. He definitely didn't miss Charles. The stuck-up pro-human was unbearable. His racism and intolerance was what he hated the most. Yet he was part of the team and an addition.

But his heart ached at the loss of Samuel. The flamboyant Hunter obsessed with music. He had sacrificed himself in the Vault when they fought Atheon. His sacrifice resulted in victory. But to Soundwave it felt like a defeat.

Soundwave shook his head and sat down in his chair. The paperwork in front of him would make him focus on something else than the torment and feelings of loss. He had a new group to look after now.

…..

-Construction report of UNSC shipyard Saint Antonius-

Ships currently in process of being constructed: 9

2 Paris-class heavy frigates

3 Halcyon-class light cruisers

1 Orion-class assault carrier

2 Autumn-class heavy cruisers

1 Epoch-class heavy carrier

Construction on the Paris-class heavy frigates, the Epoch-class heavy carrier and a Halcyon light cruiser has almost been completed and will be done within the week. The other ships are being delayed due to the upgrades of Forerunner origin that are being installed on the shipyard. The installment should be done within two weeks if there are no accidents. After that our production rate will be increased by thirty percent.

Ships ready for deployment: 3

1 Charon-class light frigate

1 Autumn-class heavy cruiser

1 Epoch-class heavy carrier

Both Autumn-class heavy cruiser and Charon-class light frigate have received orders to join up with the fleet stationed at Jericho VII. They are to leave within two days when all supplies and personnel have been brought aboard. The Epoch-class heavy carrier will be added to the fleet stationed at Reach.

-Requisitions:

The shipyard is in need of more armored hull plating for both Paris-class heavy frigates and Halcyon-class light cruisers. The last supply transport did not have the requested amount and we did not get any notice of the reason as to why. While it is understandable that the requested amount is high and there are other shipyards in need of these sorts of hull plating we are currently lacking enough to hamper our production ratio.

There is also a need for pre-fabricated engine parts for the Charon-class light frigate. The parts we had in storage seem to have glitches that will result in utter failure if activated. The parts will be send back to the assembly line to be taken apart and used for new parts.

As for the standard supply drop nothing of importance.

Need for supplies is average at the moment but soon we will need them or our production ratio will drop in a large amount.

…..

 _Opinion on the imperial clone army_

-Imperials-

The announcement of the Exo emperor caused some uproar when he revealed the first human clone soldiers. Primary renouncement came from Sangheili and Jiralhanae species. Some of them are unhappy having to work with human clones stating it is what a heretic would do. They do not openly revolt against the clones only because of the emperors wishes and a small sense of respect.

Other previous Covenant races are neutral about the decision. Unggoy are somewhat scared yet grateful for the protection. Kig-Yar are indifferent about the matter and are willing to cooperate. Drone population are also indifferent but appreciate the clone battalions stationed on their colonies. Both Mgalekgolo and Engineers are actually looking forward to working with clones. The Mgalekgolo respect human strength while Engineers appreciate human kindness.

-Human-

The human side was outraged and incredibly disturbed upon learning of the clone army. Many politicians are voting for more effort to fight the imperials on their home worlds. Even private corporations are helping. They wanted revenge for the suffering inflicted upon them by the hands of the Covenant but now want retribution for this action as well.

Insurrectionists share the sentiment but more than fifty percent look past this and approach the empire for help in the fight. Getting to battle along humans seems to encourage them in joining up. If not for support of major insurrectionist leaders this wouldn't have been possible.

-Current clone production-

Kamino facilities are working at better efficient allowing the production of better clones. Process takes longer but results are promising. Advanced training for specialized tasks and commando tasks is now available. Predictions state that the clone army will make a fine addition to the imperial army.

-Current deployed clone legions-

501st legion: human colony Roost. Clone officer captain CT-7567 'Rex' is working alongside Sangheili field marshal Kyta 'Chakamai. They have made considerable progress. Both officers have found respect for each other and work well together.

212th attack battalion: human colony Verent. Clone officer commander CC-2224 'Cody' is working with Jiralhanae chieftain Brulliis. There has been some tensions between the two regarding an incident between Jiralhanae warriors and 212th clone troopers. Both officers talked it out and came to an agreement. Situation on Verent is in favor for the empire but UNSC forces are making it difficult to conquer the planet.

Second shock trooper company: Imperial Center (Archeologis). Clone officer commander Thorn under the command of supreme commander Reya. Currently working with the guards stationed in the capital. Relations between the two are perfect, both are glad to fight alongside each other.

…..

-Status report on the battle of Levosia by shipmaster Leka 'Gagam-

When we began the assault on the planet Levosia we expected it to be a swift battle. Now that the battle has been raging on for four days I can see that it will take more time to break the UNSC presence on the planet. Due to the ODST forces stationed on the surface and their sneak attacks we have suffered casualties that we shouldn't have experienced in the first place. These shock troopers have ambushed our supply convoys along with the occasional raid on one of our camps. While it isn't enough to push us back their operations have delayed our progress substantially. For every step forward we make they slow us down.

The lack of armor is also what holds us back. Upon the initial landing the humans pulled out hidden AA-guns along with concealed mini-MACs. Unless we receive the proper means to push through the enemy's defenses there shall be no progress at all. The UNSC has enough aircraft to deal with ours, enough AA-guns to help, enough MGs to hold off any infantry attack and enough special forces to tear us apart. I strongly suggest orbital bombardment on UNSC bases and reinforcements to be send our way. It will only take so much time before the UNSC ships arrive and possibly break our blockade.

And time is what the defenders have.

-Response to status report on the battle of Levosia by supreme ground forces commander Reya 'Redam-

Your situation is indeed worrying shipmaster 'Gagam but know that reinforcements cannot be send on a simple whim. Levosia is not one of our major targets and besieging it will simply have to do. Most forces are being sent to fleet commander Primus Ta'aun who needs them the most as he fights the crucial battles. Many of our conquered worlds are being assaulted by the UNSC. Do not assume that your battle is the most important one on my list.

That being said I do understand your situation and the problems you face. You are not the first to report sabotage and ambush attacks by the UNSC's special forces. The situation on Charybdis IX is very similar only that orbital bombardment is out of the question due to the hidden bases on the planet. The emperor dislikes unnecessary destruction so he would be very displeased to know that his forces destroyed miles of land just to blow up one little bunker. I advise you to tighten security at your munition depots along with other important structures. Try to formulate a trap for the shock troopers so you can encircle them. ODSTs are stubborn and will not back down when a challenge is presented. Make one for them so they will regret that stubbornness.

As for your request for reinforcements I will grant it. Additional troops have been sent with corvette support but remember that those reinforcements will be the only ones you get for quite some time. I cannot and will not make any false promises of more troops coming to your aid. We have won many battles but our defeats have been grave. Our emperor's tactic has worked with a good foothold as a result but now we must focus on our defense. His imperial majesty's new army will soon be ready and when it is we shall once more march forward. Hopefully we will then reach the inner colonies. Our human allies have been most helpful but the inner colonies are less likely to stand down peacefully.

Now make sure that Levosia is under imperial control or at least make a stand on it. We must keep the enemy focused on their own worlds before they find out about our own.

…..

 _UNSC intelligence on the empire's hierarchy_

The following article contains all known information on the Galactic Empire's political and military leadership.

The imperial politics are based on an autocracy policy.

The head of state is the current emperor named Soundwave. When he rose to power he made his rule absolute. He has supreme power over every affair of the Galactic Empire and uses this power when he sees fit. He has no direct heir so far.

Below the Exo emperor there are two factions of power.

One is the imperial senate. Within this senate there are representatives of each imperial race. Each species has five representatives. The only ones who do not attend are the Vex and Prometheans. Aside from the senators representing their species there are also representatives of colony worlds. Subjects regarding the civilian activities or laws for example are discussed by the senate and when the voting is done either passed or denied. Only the emperor has the ability to overrule the senate's decisions.

The other faction is the military council. While the imperial senate deals with day to day affairs the military council was created to effectively separate civilian and military powers. The council is made out of the highest ranking officers the empire has. These leaders are mostly Special Operations Commanders, Fleetmasters, Field Masters, Field Marshals, Chieftains and War Chieftains. Though it is clear not every officer is on the council. Only the most successful are granted a position of the council. The supreme commander of ground operations Reya 'Redam has one of the top three seats. These three hold most power within the military council. The others are supreme Fleetmaster Jul 'Mdama and general Rudo 'Vongam.

Both factions answer to the Exo emperor who remains in absolute control over the Galactic Empire.

…..

"Do you see the guy with the sunglasses in the suit with the orange tie?" James Parker, agent of the Federal Security Bureau, asked his partner. The shorter man named Vasily Caldwell who was sitting at the pub's table gave a nod.

"That's the suspect alright. The guy was present at the gang fight yesterday. I don't know what group he belongs to but picking a fight with the Steel Brotherhood ain't smart. My contacts told me that some sort of new syndicate has been rising and slowly overthrowing the Steel Brotherhood." Caldwell answered.

The man who they shadowed went inside a convenience store and came out five minutes later with a suitcase. Two men wearing suits as well followed him as bodyguards while they walked through the avenue. Parker wordlessly stood up as did Caldwell before going the same direction.

"Looks like he's a delivery boy as well huh." Caldwell remarked.

"I don't care what he is as long as he gives us a clue or any sort of intel. If this new crime group can push the SB back then they have to be a major threat." Parker said with a frown. The Federal Security Bureau had absolutely nothing on the new player, not even a name, that could help them.

"Hold up, they're stopping." Caldwell said seriously and got Parker out of his thoughts.

"Overwatch this is agent parker, requesting support at Baker street warehouse 5." Parker said in his comm. He wasn't about to take any chances.

"Copy that Parker, we've got your support coming."

True enough the three members had stopped just outside a warehouse and the man with the suitcase pulled out his phone. Parker quickly put in an earpiece and activated it. The small device could lock onto a signal and hack it to listen in on someone's conversation. Caldwell did the same while the mysterious man dialed a number.

"X5 here, status report." A distorted but noticeable female voice spoke up. Caldwell pulled out a small device to figure out how the voice really sounded. In the meantime Parker would record everything that the suspects said.

"I've retrieved the package and I'm at the checkpoint ma'am. So far no one has been following us." The unknown man said having no clue of the two federal agents.

"Did everything go as planned?" The voice asked professionally.

"Yes ma'am everything went smoothly. The deal with our allies was successful. They checked the money immediately and I checked the information. Everything is safely stored in the suitcase. What will be our rendezvous?"

"It will be… hold on." The voice answered but stopped abruptly before growling. "Fool! You are being followed by two men. Follow the backup plan now!"

The man now seemed alarmed and it showed in his posture. From behind the sunglasses he watched the area and his eyes then landed on Parker. "Those two are cops!" he yelled.

The two bodyguards pulled out SMGs and escorted the man inside the building.

"We need to move now!" Parker told his partner and sprinted forward.

Both agents ran up to the building and pulled out their guns.

"Are you crazy?! We're not properly armed for this! We should wait for that backup." Caldwell retorted.

"Fine but if they get away it's on you." Parker relented reluctantly.

Caldwell shook his head and said "They would have to swim if they wanted to escape. This warehouse is positioned at the river."

And so the two agents waited for a few minutes before the special police forces arrived. Three Falcon helicopters flew overhead and began dropping off SWAT units on the roof while trucks unloaded them on the ground. Out of one of the trucks stepped police captain Rodriguez with a shotgun in his hands. He walked over to the two agents that were equipping their protective gear.

"How many inside?" He asked knowing who the two agents were.

Parker looked up from what he was doing and spoke "So far three of them sir. How they spotted us is unclear but they shouldn't have been able to escape the building." The captain nodded and turned towards the SWAT units.

"Breaching positions on the double people!" He ordered and positioned himself behind the team that was going through the front door. The two agents joined him and together they waited for the signal.

"All units ready captain." A voice said through the police comm.

"Alright move in." Rodriguez said.

The SWAT units proceeded to enter the warehouse by means of smashing in doors along with windows before throwing in flashbangs and smoke grenades. A few shouts alerted them that there were more than three men inside. Once the SWAT units entered all hell broke loose. Gang members came out of cover and started firing at the SWAT with weapons ranging from the common types to military grade to even plasma tech. Already a few of the police force were felled by the barrage of lead and plasma. The gunfight went on for a while but it became clear the gang members were losing ground. They were well trained but the SWAT had utilized superior tactics with the result of them losing numbers.

It took a few minutes but eventually the police corps won the battle but with major casualties.

"I've got a live one!" A police officer yelled gaining the attention of Rodriguez and the agents. They hurried over to the downed gang member who was bleeding from a wound in his leg.

"Where are the bodyguards and the guy with the suitcase?" Caldwell interrogated.

"I ain't telling you, you damned cop." The man spat at the agent. Parker then put some pressure on the man's leg. The pain shot through his body and he couldn't stop the pained yells. The punk desperately tried to crawl away but was held in place.

"When my partner asks something you'll answer. Now tell us!" Parker stated aggressively.

"Fine just bugger off! They went through the cellar, there is a hatch concealed by a bunch of barrels that leads to the other side of the river. They should be halfway by now I guess." The crook said hissing in pain sometimes.

Rodriguez grabbed his radio and said something in it before he looked at the two agents. He then said "I've got three Falcons ready to take us there, now let's go!"

The three ran outside of the building straight to the waiting choppers and climbed aboard. The pilot proceeded to bring them up in the air and flew over the river. The three choppers went at full speed to arrive at an abandoned oil refinery. The choppers circled around the complex for a while trying to spot the fugitives. Parker and Caldwell were speculating about what might be so important to be locked up in the suitcase but no real answers came up.

"Movement at the south entrance!" A spotter aboard another Falcon reported.

Rodriguez grabbed his radio and said, "Try to encircle them. Do not let them get away!"

The Falcons flew toward the south where the suspect was entering a car. His two bodyguards sat in the front and sped away with the runaway vehicle. The car that went to maximum speed tried to shake off the chasing Falcons to no avail.

"Try to disable the vehicle. Aim for the tires." Rodriguez spoke into the comm.

The other two Falcons with gunner approached from both left and right side before opening fire on the car. The gang members focused on dodging the incoming bullets but they were hit by a lucky shot. The left tire in the back popped and destabilized the car. The driver tried to get it under control by anticipating the movements of the car. He kept up for a few seconds but then failed as the car toppled over. The Falcons stopped at the now immobile vehicle before landing.

"Quickly before it blows!" Rodriguez ordered sprinting towards the wrecked vehicle.

The police dragged out the three criminals who had minor injuries. Both henchmen were clearly unconscious but luckily the carrier was still awake. Parker placed him against a Falcon and began interrogating the man.

"Tell us what you've been doing! I want to know who you work for, who they are, what their operations are and all the rest now!" He demanded.

"Are you nuts?! They'll kill me!" The man shouted back.

"We can offer protection but you need to work with us." Caldwell offered.

"Look, I can't tell you anything! The shadow king will kill me. If they find out I'm even talking to you right now then-" The man said but was interrupted by a loud crack noise that came from a distance away.

Parker and Caldwell staggered back as the dead corpse of the criminal fell over. His head was completely obliterated with brain matter and blood everywhere.

From across a concealed spot atop one of the refinery's buildings a man smirked as he put the sniper rifle away. His steel grey armor with green tint on the right shoulder plate reflected the daylight as the sniper walked away.

"Target has been eliminated and the briefcase only contained a part of the intel. Without the necessary key they'll never find out what we were planning." The hitman told his superior over the comm.

The leader replied in a deep raspy voice, "Affirmative. Escape the area and join up with the rest. Our operations are from now on on hold to evade suspicion."

"Roger that. I'll tell Locus of our new developments."

"Make sure you do."

…

 _Official Imperial News Channel_

"Welcome to Imperial Records, bringing you news from around the whole empire. It is a great day for our glorious empire isn't it Tuma 'Sutumee?" The Unggoy news reporter said as the broadcast began.

The female Sangheili gave a nod and replied, "Yes indeed Pakas. Today marks the anniversary of the Galactic Empire. Exactly one standard year ago our kind emperor Soundwave the Exo united almost every faction of the fallen Covenant starting with the Storm Covenant. Within the fires of victory upon the human UNSC and the Sangheili Swords Of Sanghelios he brought us all together. Now he leads us not only in the second great war but also towards a bright future."

"But we won't be talking about that now will we Tuma?" Pakas questioned brightly.

"No we won't." The Sangheili answered with a shake of her head. "Today we will bring you a live feed of the new imperial march here on Archeologis, now also known as Imperial Center, at the Guardian Boulevard. It is there that the emperor will give a speech and after that the imperial military will give a demonstration of their strength."

"Then we will get on with then. We currently have our camera drones at the site to give us a live feed of the march." Pakas said calmly but excited.

The feed changed from the studio to that of the grand street in front of the mountain that people now saw as the imperial palace. The sidelines were filled to the brim with spectators all cheering and celebrating the anniversary of their empire. Soldiers stood at guard to keep them at bay and keep an eye out for trouble. Banners adorned the buildings, festivities were on their way and there was everything but an abundance of happiness. Yet the reason why hundreds if not thousands of imperials were standing at the large boulevard then it was because of the upcoming arrival of their leader.

The drones hovered around filming everything they could get a glimpse of.

"It appears that we are not the only ones excited about the spectacle that will hold place soon." Pakas remarked with a smile.

Tuma gave a slight smile as well and nodded in agreement.

"But not only here on Imperial Center are there parties. All across imperial space our citizens are enjoying themselves. According to our reports there are even soldiers on the frontlines celebrating."

"Hold on Tuma, we're getting word that the emperor is finally arriving." The Unggoy interrupted.

The feed changed to show the numerous military and political leaders sitting at a tribune. In front of it was a stage and also four chairs along with small podium. There were important people from every race sitting there. From the Sangheili that were with the Covenant from ages long past to the Eliksni and Cabal who had joined the empire at the start of the war. They were conversing with each other but it was clear some were more comfortable with certain species.

The chatter suddenly stopped when the royal guard appeared. While they were made out of Precursors and Prometheans at first there were now guards from every race. Only the finest and most loyal were allowed in the royal guard. There were Sangheili, Jiralhanae, Eliksni and even Unggoy but also others. They all wore armor made out of the same material as the Precursors.

Then Soundwave appeared followed by Reya, Jul and surprisingly Rudo.

Many were glad that the general had survived his accident with the exploding bomber. While he survived thanks to a miracle namely the Light from Soundwave he didn't escape death unscathed. His entire body save for his vital organs and eyes were gone. Instead his new body was made out of cybernetic parts. The greyish metal that was of Forerunner origin was smooth and was just like a Sangheili's body structure. The only major differences were the claw-like feet with razor-sharp edges, a thinner neck and lastly the skull-like face with a flat faceplate but behind the eye sockets one could see the golden reptilian eyes along with the reddish skin that remained. To have some decency left he wore a black cape over his broad cybernetic shoulders that just reached the ground.

While his Sangheili friends took their places Soundwave walked forward to the small stage. He received thunderous applause and it took a while for him to calm everyone down. With Ghost floating away to Reya he began his speech.

"Fellow imperials," He said with warmth in his voice and a serious yet soft expression. "I am honored to stand before you exactly one year after the formation of our Galactic Empire. A society that rose from the ashes of a failed Covenant. To those who were once part of this religious tyranny, I am sorry that you had to live being lied to. You were deceived and used, then tossed away in the quest of destruction. After the Covenant fell apart you split up with so much anger and confusion. It brings joy to this old exo that you found your place here in this new civilization that you can call home. You no longer have to believe in the Forerunners or get called a heretic if you do not believe. As long as you are free then I am content."

"To those who joined later on, I am so sorry you were drafted into a war that wasn't yours to begin with. But I am so grateful nonetheless. You stood with us as we went to battle, fought and died. Because of you we received support, new culture, new wisdom and most importantly new family. This empire was founded to gather all of us so we could evolve together. We are stronger united and you made this possible. To all of you, I thank you out of the depth of my heart that you stood with me. Without any of you this empire would have been nothing but an ideal. Yet now because of your efforts, sacrifices, patience, devotion and tolerance this Galactic Empire has a future. Thank you."

As his words were heard and broadcasted nearly every imperial began cheering and shouting. Soundwave simply nodded in thanks but the applause was staggering.

He then began again, "But let's get not too sentimental. Today is a day of celebration. Drink, eat, feast, dance and enjoy yourselves on this first official Empire Day and the Imperial March!" He said loudly with a smile and excitement that infected others. Every race gave applause and roars.

Soundwave stepped off the small stage and sat down in his chair.

"There you have it people. Our kind leader just gave his speech and declared the celebrations to begin." Pakas said with a grin.

"Kind indeed. We should not forget the amazing changes he brought. Because of the emperor Unggoy and other races that were looked down upon in the days of the Covenant now have the same rights as Sangheili, there are more colonies, more care and females who are now almost as equal as males." Tuma agreed with a smile.

"And it appears the march seems to begin. The orchestra has begun the music of our military." Pakas said as the various performers began using their instruments. (Think of the imperial march and soviet march)

As the music began the sound of marching could be heard. From around the corner of the district that was sealed off the first soldiers arrived. They walked towards the large lane and began going forward in their rehearsed formation.

First up were the Sangheili. At the front a group of officers took the lead with the first one being a field marshal followed by three Zealots. The middle one carried the flag of the empire. Behind the Zealots an entire column of Sangheili warriors marched forward with their right arms swinging repeatedly from their sides upwards towards their chest. They were in a formation of multiple rows. The Minors, Ultras, Majors and Rangers had their armor polished and carried their weapons with pride. As soon as the soldiers passed the emperor's position they held up their fist against their chest in a salute.

As the Sangheili passed by they were followed by the Unggoy. It was quite amazing to see a large army of smaller soldiers but the shaking they produced with each step could still be felt. Just like with the Sangheili the front Unggoy were the leaders while the others were the subordinates. They marched forward in their own way. The front of them had plasma pistols followed by plasma rifles and needlers ending with fuel rod cannons.

Then came the Kig-Yar in a similar fashion as the Unggoy. They too were walking in sync and showed off an air of professionalism. Carbines and beam rifles were glistening in the sunlight. The back of their formation had Skirmishers in them. They saluted when passing by the hierarchy before going forward.

The Jiralhanae, while having a natural lack of discipline, were as professional as the Sangheili. Heads held high, armor polished, weapons at the ready and moving in sync. The Jiralhanae councilors and officers gave roars of approval.

They were followed by the Drones, Engineers and Hunters who obviously had more trouble with marching but in their own way they carried themselves with power and discipline. Even the Engineers saluted and were cheered on by the crowds.

Then came the Eliksni. The Archon Priest was leading the Barons and Captains followed by the Dregs and Vandals. Their cloaks were proudly presented with the symbol of their Houses on it along with that of the Galactic Empire. The Captains held their swords in a ridged way while the soldiers carried their rifles in two of their hands while the others were used to replicate the swinging motion.

The thunderous marching of the Cabal drowned out any other noise. Their heavy weight and then their already rehearsed presentation was spectacular. The way that Legionaries, Phalanxes, Centurions and Colossuses held their heads and weapons high was amazing. It was clear that the Cabal took pride in being so militaristic and found immense joy in such a march.

After the Cabal the vex followed up. Soundwave had chosen to include the Vex and was not shocked to see how good they did as well. The Vex then made way for the Prometheans and Frames.

But then lastly the new imperial clone army took the stage. While of human origins they too received applause as they participated in the march. Were it not for the victories they helped ensure and the propaganda of their emperor it would have been different. The clones were just as disciplined as the Sangheili, they were their teachers after all, but were still different. The clones held their weapons with pride and gave full devotion to their emperor who they were bred to serve.

When the last infantry passed by they were followed by every vehicle in the military. Ghosts drove by at a steady pace. Wraiths drove forward with their gunners saluting. Panzers were lined up with the top hatch open with a soldier saluting out of it. After that the other vehicles passed by, even a Scarab, until it was time for the air force.

Banshees roared overhead and Phantoms along with Spirits followed while being escorted by the Banshees or Seraphs. To everyone's surprise a new fighter made an appearance. The Empire's research and development division led by Diablo and Ghost proudly presented the Wyvern. A multirole fighter based on the Hebridean Thoughtcrime ship awarded by the Crucible. The new fighter soared over the city followed by Dusks and lastly a corvette.

The music stopped and all over the empire the citizens applauded.

"What a sensational performance." Pakas said from the studio.

"Indeed Pakas. We are proud of our military strength and us Sangheili are still proud of our role in training the clone army. Their performance was as good as that of any other race." Tuma agreed.

Pakas nodded, "Agreed. We shall end our broadcast now so our viewers can return to the festivities. Have a good empire day." The Unggoy said before the broadcast ended.

…..

Following the end of the human-covenant war human explorers searched for new hospitable planets. Eventually they stumbled upon the Palov system. A solar system relatively close to human and Sangheili space. The only planet able to sustain life: Palov III. A world that could be described as a garden world. When the human colonists made their homes there it became a target for Kig-Yar pirates. Facing dangerous odds the colonists allowed the UNSC to place a space station with a small amount of ships there along with a military base on the planet.

Palov III had all kinds of life on it from plants to animals. But what gained the attention of ONI section three were the unidentified ruins found close to a settlement. ONI quickly invested resources in the strange architecture hoping to learn more about the ruins that seemed to have data moving through it. The pyramid that was the central building had human equipment stationed around it along with guards, pre-fabricated buildings and scientists poking around.

Professor Allston, a greying man with small glasses, walked at a quick pace through the central corridor. He was headed for the command chamber where the data streams in the construction seemed to go haywire. After being called back from the settlement he was informed by captain Gardner, the marine officer in charge of their armed forces, that this happened around two days ago.

Gardner scoffed as he quickened his pace.

The other scientists dismissed it as progress in finally learning the purpose of this alien structure.

How they could have been so foolish was beyond Gardner's comprehension.

Had they not received the memo from command that this could be linked to the mysterious Vex? If they failed in subduing the wild data streams then they could be facing an entire Vex army. Gardner had read the reports on the Vex. He was not happy with the prospect.

When he walked through the circular door he came face to face with operative Jacob. The young ONI operative was there to aid the project according to command.

Gardner almost scoffed again.

More likely to spy on them than anything else.

"Well? What else has happened during my absence?" He asked as he accessed his terminal.

Jacob replied grimly, "It has been getting worse professor. Energy readings are getting high and the central portal has been acting up."

Gardner muttered something beneath his breath as his terminal showed bits of the data. It was converting something but he wasn't sure yet.

"What about the other structures?" He questioned.

"The two power generators are going on and off. We think it is some sort of fault."

Gardner turned around with a baffled expression.

"Seriously? The pyramid is activating! The portal is slowly drawing power from the generators. It must somehow know we are here and is trying to hide the activation." The professor proclaimed.

"That is ridiculous professor." Jacob replied.

"Is it?" The professor shot back. "We know next to nothing about them. That is the reason why we are here in the first place."

Jacob wanted to argue but never got the chance.

Suddenly the entire structure began to shake. Both humans balanced themselves while lights began to appear in the cracks and lines in the walls. The central gate sparked and glowed brightly. Two smaller gates were already active by the time the operative and the professor took cover. Multiple Vex Goblins poured out walking around to find intruders.

They found targets as the marines entered with guns blazing. Jacob also opened fire with his pistol. The Vex retaliated with laser bolts and aggressive stances. Gardner kept his head down but focused on the central gate that glowed and shook. At one point it made a large pulse knocking some Vex and humans down.

When Gardner looked again he was shocked.

Four humanoids clad in strange armor were standing in front of the deactivated portal. One wore a cape, another tall one wore heavy armor and lastly the other two had robes. They looked out of place and definitely not in league with the Vex.

The silence went on until the one in the cape finally spoke up in a feminine yet awkward tone.

"Guys? I think we're not on Venus anymore."


End file.
